Heaven on Earth
by Caeruleaneyes30
Summary: There are situations,in life, where all the teachings in the world, all the life experiences you possess, everything you have witnessed, and the emotional walls you have built will not be enough to prepare you.  In these times, pray someone will be there.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: The author of this fan fiction does not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters belong to their original creators.**

**This is may first fan fiction. I am not sure how many chapters there will be, but my guess is around 15. I would love to read reviews.**

Ask people to define the word "education" and you will automatically receive the reply. "It is what you learn in school. It is what school is for." They will then, either to themselves or to whoever happened to ask them the meaning of education, reminisce about their school days.

For others, education is not what you learn in a classroom, but rather what you learn outside of a school environment. Oh sure, school did teach them their ABC's and 123's, but that's only a small pebble in the mountain of knowledge they possess.

Such is the case of NCIS Special Agent Kensi Blye. Kensi Blye has had many teachers in her lifespan. Sure, there were the ones from school and university, and she did learn from them, heck she even liked a couple of them. Then there were the 'others'. Her glamorous, beautiful, mom, while still alive, taught her how to act as a "princess". She taught her to dance, to have tea parties and to smile pretty, especially for the camera, but most importantly she showed her how to put an outfit together. Young Kensi, at 5 years old, knew what colours looked good together, and how jewellery, shoes, scarves and make-up and hair styles could accessorize any fashion ensemble. Skills that would come in very handy as Kensi grew older. Her mother's death, when Kensi was 7, in an automobile accident, taught the child that life was precious and not always fair. She faced a great loss, but somehow kept going, and emotionally became stronger.

Her father, a marine, enjoyed having "a little princess", but was at a total loss when his wife died. He knew boys. After all it was not all that long ago he and his 3 younger brothers were boys themselves. He knew marines, from being one, and from training countless fellow marines, but did not have a clue about little girls. With no family living close by, he decided to do, with Kensi, the one activity he enjoyed. Her father decided to teach his little girl. He taught her everything he knew. Everything fathers normally would teach their sons. Kensi learned how to fix plumbing, replace a light fixture, and repair cars. By the time she was 11 she could hot wire any automobile ever built. Her father registered her for soccer, baseball and Tae Kwon Do lessons. A graphic novel fan since a child, Admiral Blye introduced Kensi to the world of super heroes. She learned to navigate her way through any comic book store and Comic-con convention. He took her camping, in ever environment possible, and taught her to survive. He taught her not only how to use what was available to stay alive, but how to track, and how to out smart someone tracking her. At 12, she discovered how to pick locks of every description. At 14, she learned to handle a fire arm and a knife as well as any U.S. Marine. At 15, her father taught her everything about boys. Kensi became independent and learned not to show her emotions. Showing emotions was a sign of weakness. Feelings only came out when a "safe zone" was reached. A place away from the world, where prying eyes would never be witness. Kensi learned to keep her composure at all times. He told her to face fear, as nine times out of ten she would discover that the thing she was afraid of was only the wind blowing. Her father and she became best friends. His sudden, violent tragic death, when Kensi was 15 taught her the meaning of inhumanity. Her heart felt a great loss. Somehow, she was able to keep going. Emotionally becoming stronger

Then she met Jack, a marine like her father, and learned what it felt like to fall in love. Jack eventually left her. The pain she experienced, in her heart, would never leave. Her parent's teachings and deaths as well as Jack's leaving forced Kensi to build impenetrable emotional walls. In a way, it was a safety mechanism. No one has ever been able to crack those walls. She's determined no one ever will.

Then one day, while working a case for NCIS, she met, unknown to her at the time, an undercover LAPD Detective.


	2. Chapter 2

LAPD Detective Marty Deeks has had many teachers in his lifetime. Yes, there were the ones from school and university. However, as a naturally gifted academic, there was not much more school teachers could really "teach" Marty, once he learned to read. A ferocious reader, he taught himself most things, simply by sitting in the public library reading.

His parents, if that is what you want to call them, were not about to win any "Parent of the Year Award". Though there were a few things they did manage to show him. His mom, a recreational drug user, who tended to suffer from periods of depression, did give parenting a try. There were weeks where she did well. Looking after Marty, the best she could. Preparing him meals, teaching him how to do simple chores, taking him to school, signing him up for baseball, but most importantly protecting him from his father's volatile temper. It was when her depression was bad, and the recreational drug use came into play that Marty's education was required for him to survive. When he was 3 she started teaching him to be observant. To always watch what was going on around him. Watch how people do things, and learn from them. At 4 Marty learned how to spread peanut butter on bread, by watching his mom. It was a skill that came in handy, when his parents were unconscious on the sofa, for the majority of the day. At 5 he taught himself to make toast, use a can opener and to program the microwave by watching his parents use the devices. His mom taught him how to walk to and from school by himself. At 6, with prompting from Marty, she showed him how to use the stove, oven and laundry machines. All skills he required during the long periods his parents tended to be either incapacitated or no where to be found. He was being taught to be independent.

He learned to save money. After all, money is what you seemed to need to buy things at the stores. Many times, not only were his parents unavailable, but there was no food in the home to eat. Marty learned to pick up money left throughout the house and hide it away. In times of need he would use it to purchase food for himself at the local grocery store.

With much whining from Marty, his mom got him a public library card. The library was a sanctuary for Marty. It was a place away from his fathers temper and his mom's problems. He would spend hours there reading or doing homework. The library, not only fed his academic appetite, but inadvertently taught him study skills. The librarian started to address him by his first name. Sensing a need, in the young boy, for attention, she decided to spend time with him. She taught him, what she knew, she taught him about books. It was the librarian who introduced him to the world of comic books and super heroes. After all, it was, until then, an entire section of the library he had been ignoring. Comic books became a love that would follow him into adulthood.

His mother's death, when he was 9, left Marty to be raised by his only living relative, his father. Marty's mother's death was devastating, but he managed to keep going, by becoming emotionally numb.

From his father, he learned how to deal with someone with anger issues and how to throw a punch. His father's temper flared up easily. Marty learned at a young age to be obedient when his father gave him an order, to keep quiet and to stay out of the way. Even all of this did not prevent the usual weekly beating. His father taught him how to make a fist, to throw a punch and how to read an opponent. Marty now knew which way to duck in order to avoid an impending fist. Inadvertently, he had taught the boy how to avoid many a punch he himself threw at him. It resulted in his father having the ability to release his anger, without Marty being beaten badly. Marty would later discover these skills useful when he became an undercover cop.

At 10 he met his friend Ray. Both boys came from similar backgrounds, in respect that each was a product of a bad marriage, and an ill tempered father. From Ray he learned how to "BS" his way out of any situation, how to swoon girls and how to handle a gun. They were growing up in a neighbourhood with a high crime rate. Together Marty and Ray learned how to stay "safe". Marty's keen observation skills accompanied with Ray's ability to fast talk them out of any situation with a straight face, kept the two boys out of trouble. Marty knew by "watching" which ally ways and buildings to avoid. If they did get into a situation Ray would always fast talk them out of harm. They learned together, that if they did happen to witness something, to keep their mouths shut. Certain things were just never spoken of, even to each other. Ray taught him girls were easy to converse with. Tell them they are pretty, that they look good, and most importantly they are special. It seemed to work for the young Marty Deeks. At 11 Ray gave him a gun, and showed him how to use it. A few evenings later Marty used it to save his own life. Ironically, it was his father's teachings, on how to read your opponent that told Marty to shoot if you want to live. The incident left him feeling numb as well as a ward of the state.

Foster homes were mostly just a blur that left him independent and even more emotionally numb. One foster mother did teach Marty the importance of humour. She enjoyed laughing. Humour could lighten any situation. She told him that to receive laughter in response to a joke or punch line was the best reward you could ever receive. Humour, he discovered, worked well on the ladies.

His high intelligence level, his independence, his knowledge of the streets, his keen observation skills, his ability to not hesitate in using a fire arm, his lack of any family ties, and his ability to walk away from people he felt any emotional connection to all made him the perfect undercover cop. He had, in his own way, built walls around his heart and soul. The emotional numbness, he forced upon himself, insured he would never be hurt again. He would be safe from experiencing the pain of love or loss.

Then one day, while working deep undercover for the LAPD, he met a tall beautiful brunette.


	3. Chapter 3

Henrietta Lange had been in the "spy" game for a number of decades. When she was finally ordered "out" for an easy "pre retirement position", she was not happy. Especially when she was told to form a "team" using agents they had chosen for her. She reviewed all the dossiers NCIS had sent to her. She even personally interviewed each and every candidate. Everyone would make a decent agent, but none would make a "world class" agent. Sure they all had the education, training and even experience to fulfill the general requirements, but everyone lacked one critical element. Yes, Henrietta Lange knew what made a "great agent". Decade's worth of experience had taught her that education, training and experience were required, but a "great agent" needed one other element. They needed to have been "broken" emotionally and to have survived. The only way to have survived meant that impenetrable titanium walls had been built around their heart and soul. They would never be guided by their emotions while in the field. It was the "proverbial missing link" necessary in Henrietta Lange's "spy" game. It was the one critical element Henrietta Lange required in an agent in order to train them to be "great" at the "spy" game. Education, training and experience were all important factors that could not be overlooked, but emotional numbness had to be present.

If NCIS wanted her to form a "great" team then they would have to wait for her to find her agents. They would not pick them for her. Ten months later, while lending her expertise in a drug case, a young agent by the name of Kensi Blye came to her attention. Two years later a young undercover LAPD detective sparked her interest.

Fourteen months later NCIS Special Agent Kensi Blye and LAPD Detective Marty Deeks became partners. Somehow, over the next 10 months, they learned to completely trust each other. Learning to trust was not unheard of for either partner as both had managed, occasionally, to do it with partners in the past. Kensi had done it with Callen and Sam. Deeks had done it with Jess. What was unusual was how quickly it had occurred. Trust for either partner, if it did occur, usually took at least a couple of years or longer to accomplish and even then it was not guaranteed 100% complete trust. The whole trust issue did not scare the two partners, something else did. NCIS Special Agent Kensi Blye and LAPD Liaison Detective Marty Deeks were slowly cracking each others emotional defences. There was no explanation as to how, it was just happening. The "team" knew when Marty had become jealous over Kensi using her "seductive voice" on a male suspect. Kensi became aware of it when she found it difficult to watch Marty kiss a former undercover contact. Still neither one would admit they had feelings for each other beyond the normal partner relationship. It was safer to deny the sparks and tremors each felt when they touched or made eye contact than face the reality of the "thing" they were cascading towards. Years of experience had taught both partners that denial was a great tool in the game of emotional control.

In life, people will draw on their "education" to aid them. There are situations though, where all the teachings in the world, all the life experiences you possess, everything you have witnessed, and the emotional walls you have built will not be enough to prepare you. In these times, pray that someone will be there.


	4. Chapter 4

**I would like to thank everyone who has been reading, and reviewing my story. This is not just the first fan fiction I have written, it is the first thing I have ever written. I have finished with the background descriptions of the characters and am now going to start the actual "mystery". I thought it was important to try and explain how I read some of the characters. In a way, I guess, it would help to explain why I see some of the characters react how they do during the course of this story.**

The day had started like most, with the "team" slowly trickling into the mission, starting at 5:30 am. By 8:30 am all "four personalities" where sitting at their desks, drinking coffee and bantering over the latest NFL results. Predictions for the next set of games were being tossed around the bull pen with smiles and laughter filling the room.

"Tweeeeeeeeeeeeet" whistled Eric from his perch on the top of the stairs.

Callen, Sam, Kensi, Deeks and Hetty joined Eric and Nell in the Ops centre on the second floor.

"What do we have?" asked Callen.

"Cassie Coverman, age three." Answered Eric as the picture of the small blond, blue eyed child appeared on the large OPs screen.

"Her mother, Jessica Coverman, put her to bed at 7:30 last night. The mom claims she checked on the child several times during the evening. More specifically at 8:00, 9:30 and again at 11:00. At that point the mother says she set the house alarm, and went to bed herself." Nell said.

"When the mother woke at 7:00 this morning her daughter's bed was empty." Eric added.

"The mom immediately made a quick search of the house, and both the front and back yards before making a frantic call to 911. We have audio of the call." Responded Nell as she began to play the 911 tape.

The team listened as the frantic mother reported her three-year-old daughter missing to the 911 operator.

"The child was taken sometime between 11:00 p.m. last night and 7:00 a.m. this morning." Deeks stated.

"Why has NCIS been called in? Isn't this a case for LAPD or the FBI?" asked Sam.

"Normally it would be Mr. Hanna." Hetty replied.

"In this case though, the child's father happens to be Admiral Rodger Coverman. He has the highest security clearance available and is currently head of US Naval operations in the Far East."

"This may not be a random child abduction case then." Callen said.

"No, it may not. It may be a means to get to her father." Hetty replied.

"Admiral Coverman has been in South Korea for the last week and a half. He is due back in LA in three days. His office is currently in the process of contacting him, and bringing him back as soon as possible." Hetty added.

"Why exactly is the Admiral in South Korea?" asked Kensi.

"I have not been able to get an answer to that question. We can assume based on his rank, clearance and job that it has to do with sensitive foreign affairs of a military nature." Hetty stated.

"Miss Blye and Mr. Deeks, I want the both of you to go to the family's home. Interview the child's mother and investigate the crime scene. Talk to the LAPD present on sight and find out what they have learned. LAPD have been told we will be taking the lead in this investigation. They have agreed to co-operate."

"Mr. Callen and Mr. Hanna, as we have no real leads at the moment, I want the two of you to assist the LAPD with there door to door campaign of the immediate neighbourhood. Perhaps a neighbour saw or heard something. They may not realize they hold a clue to this mystery. The child has been missing, at the most, for eight and a half hours. We need to find her quickly. Time may be running out."

"Miss Jones and Mr. Beale, please review all security footage, in the area. Look at film from any camera you can access such as bank machines and traffic cameras. Report anything you feel is suspicious. I need you to look into both Admiral Coverman and his wife. See what you can discover about their day to day lives. Check their bank accounts, telephone records etc. . . . Delve into the backgrounds of both of their families. Find out if the daughter is registered at a daycare centre or a pre school. Investigate everything about those locations. We are looking for anything that could tell us who may have taken this child and why."

Sam, Callen, Kensi and Deeks left to start their assignments. Eric and Nell began searching cyberspace for any information they could find.

Kensi and Deeks arrived at the street the Coverman's home, was situated on, within twenty five minutes of leaving the Mission. It was a quiet, middle class area with three and four bedroom detached homes situated on large well manicured lots. The agents were greeted by a scene of utter chaos. Police had both ends of the avenue blockaded and were checking every vehicle coming and leaving the street. Kensi and Deeks were questioned, but their badges quickly gained them access past the barricade and entrance into the Coverman's home. Police tape surrounded the home, and LAPD officers were trying to discourage neighbours from leaving their homes and becoming spectators. The authorities had not notified the press, but apparently a nosy neighbour had. Fortunately, the police barricade had prevented reporter's entrance onto the street. Everyone knew that the first few hours of a child abduction were critical. They did not need an over energetic reporter feeding the public false information that could endanger the child's life.

Callen and Sam arrived just behind Kensi and Deeks. After introducing themselves to the lead investigator, for the LAPD, they were informed that a recent photo of Cassie had been downloaded to every one of their officer's cell phones. Detectives, on site, were organizing all available officers into teams of two for door to door searches of the immediate and surrounding neighbourhoods. After studying a detailed map of the region, the two NCIS agents requested to be involved in the search of sections two to three blocks away from the family's home. The intent was to completely circumference the family's home. Callen and Sam were not overly interested in speaking to residents of the area, the LAPD officers could do that, they preferred to walk through the area and make observations.

Eric and Nell quickly set to work searching NCIS databases, cyberspace as well as a couple of sites they really should not have been privy to. Fortunately they were able to relay the information they had discovered, to the field agents, before any of them had reached the crime scene. The more background information they had, the better they could read the "players". Speaking over head sets the two techs relayed the information they had discovered, to their agents, via a cell phone conference call.

"Jessica Coverman was born and raised in Connecticut in a middle class family." Nell stated.

"She graduated, from a New York university nursing program, 12 years before her daughter was born. Currently, she is employed, three mornings a week, at a local clinic. We are still looking into the backgrounds of the three doctors that own and operate the clinic as well as the other employees. We will let you know if we find anything suspicious."

"Cassie attends a local daycare while her mother is at work. It is called Smiling Faces Daycare and is located five blocks from the family's home. We checked every aspect of the centre and have found nothing. The owners, other employees, business, telephone and bank records all seem to be fine. Absolutely nothing seems to set off any bells of whistles."

"Admiral Coverman, a fifth generation navy career sailor, was born on a military base in Hawaii. He basically was a military "brat". It appears he was raised on several bases throughout the U.S. as well as overseas." Eric stated.

"The Admiral joined the Navy right out of high school. Educated through the armed forces he obtained a masters degree in political science. His wife and he met, 10 years ago in New York, while attending a free concert in a park. The two married 14 months later."

Even with all the resources available to them, Eric and Nell were not able to discover much about Admiral Coverman's work with the Navy. What ever he was involved with it was definitely "top secret". There was absolutely no paper or cyberspace trail. His family's background was exemplary. They seemed to be true American patriots in every sense of the term.

The Coverman's personal records, such as bank statements, investments, phone records, and medical files turned up nothing unusual. Their marriage seemed to be solid. In short, there was nothing to explain the "who" or the "why" of the kidnapping of Cassie. They were going to have to speak to Admiral Coverman himself and his wife to try and find out more information.

Inside the Coverman's home there was activity in every room. LAPD investigators were examining windows, doors, the home alarm system, Cassie's room and everything in between. All fibre, hair, finger print tapes and dust samples were packaged, catalogued and sent to a police forensics lab. Kensi and Deeks found Jessica Coverman, sitting on a black leather sofa, in the family's living room. An LAPD family liaison psychologist was with her for support while the lead LAPD detective interviewed her. Kensi and Deeks introduced themselves to everyone, and then sat down on the leather love seat facing Jessica Coverman.

Clutching a small rag doll, Mrs. Coverman sat answering questions. She was a complete emotional mess. Trembling and fighting back tears, she recounted the events of the last 24 hours. Kensi made a few observations. She was a thin, slightly taller than average height, blond, blue eyed woman with delicate features. The way she held the doll indicated she was left handed. When she spoke to anyone in the room she looked directly at them, which indicated she was not lying. She was able to answer every question concerning her daughter's day to day life. It gave Kensi the impression she was a very attentive mom. This was the third time Jessica was answering the same series of questions. It was in hopes that she would either recall some detail that she had previously forgotten or she would stumble up on an answer revealing guilt. The agents and detectives did not seem to be privy to a new bit of information until Jessica answered a question about the previous day's activities. She once again recounted the afternoon trip her daughter and her took to the local play park.

Kensi's experience and education suddenly caused an eruption to explode from deep within her soul.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi fellow readers and writers. I would like to thank everyone who has been reading each chapter and all who have been leaving a review. **I always enjoy reading a review whether it is positive or negative. **I promise that everything will tie in as we progress through the "mystery". **

"Don't draw attention to yourself. Hide in plan site." The phrases exploded like fireworks in her brain.

"How often do you and Cassie go to the play park?" Kensi asked.

"I don't know. Um, usually two or three afternoons a week."

"Yesterday, when you were there did you notice anything unusual?"

"No, I don't really understand what you mean."

"Did you notice anyone watching Cassie or the other children? Did someone come along and engage you in a conversation that you did not know?"

"No. I don't think so. I talked to a couple of other moms that I know from Cassie's day care. I didn't notice anyone out of place. There were some families that I did not know, but that always happens. There were just the usual workmen."

"Wait, what do you mean by the usual workmen?"

"You know the usual ones. The usual hot dog vendor, the usual ice cream cart guy, and the usual city garbage collector. The usual people."

Jessica Coverman looked at Kensi confused for a brief moment. Just as quickly she became aware of what Kensi's questions were suggesting.

"No… no… no…you don't this is all because I took Cassie to the park?"

Tears began streaming down Mrs. Coverman's face. Kensi went over and kneelled down in front of Jessica. She reached over and grasped Jessica's hand with both of hers.

"Don't do this to yourself. You did what millions of parents do everyday of the year. You took your child to the play park. It may be nothing. It is though, something worth looking closer at. Okay. We are not going to take anything for granted. I garantee we will do everything we can to find Cassie and bring her home."

Marty and Kensi listened to the rest of the interview and then walked through the Coverman's home. The house was very neat, clean and tidy. Cassie had a typical little girl's room with light pink walls, a white bedroom set, and lots of dolls, ponies and butterflies. LAPD had determined that the assailant or assailants had managed to disable the security system at 3:34 a.m. and had gained entrance, to the home, through the back door. There did not seem to be any fingerprints other than those of the family and the weekly cleaning lady.

"How was the security system disabled?" Deeks asked the LAPD officer in charge of searching the house.

"According to the company, it appears it was disabled by someone punching in the access code."

"Then someone knew the code." Kensi replied.

"At this point that is what it appears to be. I've asked Mrs. Coverman for a list of who were privy to the system's code. She swears only her husband and herself know. Not even the cleaning lady has a clue."

"Is it an easy combination? Did they use their daughter's birth date or one of their middle names?" Deeks asked.

"The system requires the use of a series of letters and numbers. Surprisingly, they did not fall into the "trap" of using something obvious. They went with something completely off the wall. The access code is "penguins170". By the way, the system is wireless and has a back up battery. Cutting the power, phone or cable lines would have no effect. The access code would still be needed."

Deeks called Eric to have him check out the cleaning lady. More importantly, though, he wanted the security company searched. He had a hunch. He was interested in knowing if there had been any other incidents where the company's security system had been disabled in the LA area.

"I really don't believe Mrs. Coverman is involved in her daughter's disappearance. Everything I observed tells me she isn't. I think we should go over to the park and look around. Maybe talk to a few of the people in the play area and show them Cassie's picture. See if anyone remembers something." Kensi replied.

"Me neither. I'd be surprised if it turns out Jessica Coverman is involved. The LAPD tech guys and Eric and Nell are all monitoring the phones owned by the family. If the perpetrators contact the family, by phone, the guys are ready to try and trace it. Eric and Nell uncover anything concerning the family or the security firm they can contact us easy enough. Callen, Sam and the LAPD have the search of the area under control. The park sounds like the best place for us to start." Deeks agreed.

Kensi called Callen to let him know her and Deeks were done at the family's home, for now, and were heading to the play park to check out the area.

Callen and Sam were two blocks away from the Coverman's home and were slowly walking through the various lanes, avenues and roads surrounding the home. The two agents had a detailed map, of the immediate area, and were hand marking various observations, they were making, onto the map. What interested them were where street lights were located, what homes had sensor lights above their garages or front doors, which homes had security systems and/ or security cameras, where were stop signs located and which streets lead out to the main thoroughfare.

"That was Kensi, on the phone. She and Deeks are heading to the play park, Mrs. Coverman and her daughter visited yesterday. They're planning to try and talk to some of the regular patrons, show Cassie's photo around and see if someone can remember something." Callen told Sam as he put his phone back into his back right pocket.

"It's not a bad idea. The perpetrators may have been watching them for a few days. They could have been trying to establish the mom and daughter's regular daily routine. If someone was at the park yesterday, watching the two of them, a regular park attendee may have noticed them. Showing the girls photo around may help jog someone's memory."

"I agree. Let's finish this up and then try and analyze what we have discovered. God, I hate cases involving kids. There is just something very wrong when a child is the victim." Sam said seriously.

"I know." Callen sighed.

"We have two more blocks in this direction and then we turn left for six more. That will take us back to our starting point." Callen stated deep in thought.

The two agents slowly started walking along the sidewalk.

In the missions OPS center Eric and Nell busily tapped away at their computers.

Nell leaned back in her computer seat and rubbed her eyes in frustration.

"What's wrong?" Eric asked.

"I just completed a thorough search of the Coverman's cleaning lady. There is nothing. She is of Hispanic decent, but she is a fourth generation American. Her family has no ties to any criminal organizations. She stills lives at home. Her family owns and operates a cleaning business in LA. The family are tax paying, law abiding, well respected business owners. She is a part-time accounting student. Looks like she cleans homes to pay for her schooling. It seems like everything we investigate turns up nothing. It's frustrating."

"You're usually more calm and relaxed. I know you have some borderline personality disorders, but I don't think I have ever seen you really frazzled."

"It's Cassie. Eric…she is three years old. Why would someone take her out of her bed in the middle of the night? What do they want with her? She is only three."

"I don't know." He sighed.

"Listen, I have just started trying to investigate the security company. Why don't you come over here and help me. It will help keep your mind busy and I could use the help."

Nell looked over at Eric expressionless. Slowly she stood up and moved her computer chair over so she could sit beside him.

Eric smiled at her, took her hand in his and squeezed it.

"You okay?"

"Yea, I think so." Nell sighed.

"Just frustrated."

"Want to see what I have found out so far?"

"Yea, sure." Nell replied while staring blankly at the computer screen.

Kensi and Deeks arrived at the park within five minutes of leaving the Coverman's home. It was a typical city park, with a play area, strolling paths and picnic areas.

"We should concentrate on the area where the play park is located. Jessica Coverman said it was the only area. of the park. Cassie and she visited over the last couple of weeks." Deeks said.

"Yea, that makes sense. How do you want to do this? Should we split up or go around talking to people together?"

Deeks scanned the play park quickly. It was mostly moms, baby sitters, and children in attendance.

"It is not a large area to cover. Let's stay together."

"Okay, I guess we should get started." Kensi replied.

The two walked over to two women sitting on the park bench nearest to them to begin their inquiries.


	6. Chapter 6

Callen and Sam stood in front of the Coverman's home having completed their walk of the area. They had their map spread over the hood of their vehicle studying the various markings they had placed on it.

The markings had been made with a black marker. With a green marker the agents were crossing off sections of the neighbourhood that they believed would not yield any clues to Cassie's kidnappers or to the child's whereabouts. Experience and education told both men that they were dealing with a person or persons who were very smart and well organized. Obviously, time had been taken to plan the kidnapping down to the smallest detail.

"LAPD are going door to door. They are assuming that Cassie was taken by either a neighbour or someone the family knew. They have that angle covered. Let's take the approach Cassie was taken by someone else. Someone outside of the immediate area who may or may not be known to the family." Sam said.

"If the child was taken by someone not associated with the neighbourhood, they would need some type of vehicle. To bring themselves to the area and then to transport Cassie out once they had her."

"That means they needed a place to park." Callen replied

"I wouldn't park in front of the Coverman's home. Too risky. Look around the neighbourhood. Everyone has their cars parked in their garages or driveways. A vehicle parked on the street, late at night, would draw attention. All it would take is either a neighbour coming home late at night or someone up late to look out their window before going to bed to spot the vehicle. Subconsciously, it is committed to their memory. Cassie goes missing sometime that night. That neighbour is going to remember the vehicle." Sam answered.

"The vehicle parked on another street may bring some attention, but chances that a witness is going to associate Cassie's disappearance with it are low. The crime did not occur on their street, they are not going to even think the vehicle they saw was involved." Sam continued.

"We need to locate that spot. It could yield a wealth of information."

"Let's start by eliminating all sections of the neighbourhood that are lit by street lights. These people are smart. Kids usually have a good pair of lungs on them. If Cassie woke up somewhere between being taken out of her bed, and the waiting vehicle she would probably make noise. Carrying a screaming child attracts attention. Whoever has her would know this. If I was the kidnapper I would not want to park too far away from the Coverman's home. At the same time I would not park a vehicle, near a street light, where it or any activity around it could easily be seen by someone looking out of their window." Callen stated.

Carefully the two agents began to study the map laid out in front of them.

"G…cross off the homes, and the sections in front of the homes, with motion sensor lights above garages and front doors. They would not park in front of any home where the vehicle could be illuminated. It's risky. They could be seen too easily."

"Of the streets left let's focus on the ones with few stop signs. If I was the perpetrator, and I have what I came for I would want to get away as fast as possible. The fewer stop signs and street lights I have to deal with the better." Callen reasoned out loud to Sam.

"That eliminates this street, this street and this street." Stated Sam as Callen marked their map.

"That leaves us with three sections. I would eliminate this area since there is a secondary school located half way along the street and we know the school has security lights on each of its four corners." Callen said.

"That leaves us with two possible parking spots G."

Studying the map carefully the two agents both pointed to the exact same spot simultaneously.

"It's there." They exclaimed together.

"Only one stop sign, before exiting the neighbourhood onto the main thoroughfare. It's a small entrance onto the thoroughfare. There are no traffic cameras at that location. In fact it looks like there are no traffic cameras for at least a couple of miles in either direction." Sam said using the web browser on his cell phone to check the location of the city's traffic cameras.

"We need to go back to that location to have a better look, and to talk to some of the home owners." Sam said.

Kensi and Deeks were progressing through the play park. They had spoken to several parents and children, with not much luck. Many of the children knew Cassie either from the day care or from playing with her at the park, but none seemed to remember anyone trying to talk to her. Several parents knew Jessica Coverman, and admitted speaking to her in the past, but could not say they noticed anything suspicious the last few times the mother and daughter had visited the park.

They spotted the city garbage collector, quietly took his photo and approached him. He had city I.D. and had been assigned the park route for the last ten months. Kensi had Eric and Nell check him out, and everything was legit.

The hotdog stand owner and the ice cream cart owner both had city licenses and according to the parents, Kensi and Deeks spoke to, were regular park features. Inconspicuously, Deeks did take photos of the two vendors and had them downloaded to the NCIS ops along with their city ID permit numbers. .

Eric and Nell had just completed a search of the security company the Coverman's system was monitored by when Hetty walked into the ops centre.

"What have the two of you discovered to date?"

Eric and Nell revealed what they had learned of Cassie's family and the cleaning lady.

"We have just completed a business search of the security company." Eric stated.

"It appears to be a well respected company that formed in the LA area 36 years ago. The company began to expand within the State of California 6 years later, and into other States 5 years after that." Nell responded.

"Although they now operate sales offices throughout the country, they maintain only two monitoring stations. One is located here in LA and the other in Tampa, Florida."

"I want to have a look at the code for the monitoring system. Normally I would hack in, but this is a security company. It may not be as easy to get in and out quietly without being noticed." Eric said.

"Do not worry Mr. Beale. The company's president has just been handed a search and seizure warrant. LAPD techs are on sight now ready to give you access to any part of the system. This is the number to call and set everything up."

"I…will get right on it." Eric said as he picked up his phone to start the process.

Sam and Callen returned to the street where they suspected the kidnappers parked their "get-a-way" vehicle.

"There is a street light at that corner." Sam stated as he looked up and down the street.

"I would not park at that end of the street."

"The third and fourth houses, past the corner, and the one home across from them all have motion sensor lights above the garages and front doors. That eliminates that corner and that entire section."

"Which means they parked somewhere between this spot and the other end of the street." Sam said looking at Callen.

"We should eliminate the other corner. The first two houses on the corner both have solar powered lights throughout the front gardens. Those things give off light for most of the night."

"This street is one block south of the Coverman's house isn't it?" Callen asked.

"Yea, it is."

"Which houses are directly in line with the Coverman's home?" Callen asked.

"It would be those two on the south side of the street and those two on the north side of the street." Sam answered.

Looking at each other the two partners quickly walked down the middle of the street till they were standing in front of the four homes.

"The one house, on the south side of the street, has a "beware of dog", sign in the front window." Sam said.

"I wouldn't park in front of it or across from it."

"Neither would I G, neither would I."

"That leaves these two." Callen stated motioning with his hand at the homes in question.

"Check out the side gate of that home." Sam said.

"It is hidden from the street by trees."

Sam walked over to have a better look at the gate while Callen went to knock on the front door of the home.

The gate was secured, by a simple latch, not an actual lock. An interlock brick pathway led, from the gate, to a beautifully manicured back yard that was surrounded by a five foot white rod iron fence. Large, mature trees and gardens gave the yard privacy.

Callen appeared, in the back yard, a few moments later with the homeowner.

"This is Mrs. Walker. Her husband and she purchased this home five years ago. Her husband returned home last night, from a two day business trip, around 11:30. She greeted him at the door and did not notice a car parked on the street at that time."

"I noticed the gate at the side of your house does not have a lock, just a latch."

"Yes, we have been meaning to get a lock, but it just seems to be one of those things we never get around to doing."

"Have you noticed if your gate has been left opened lately? Maybe when you came out in the morning to go to work, or when you have returned from an outing to the grocery store or somewhere?

"No, I haven't. We haven't had a problem with that for years now."

"You use to have problems?"

"Oh, yes. When we first moved in. It was because of children that live in the home behind us and the gate along the back fence."

"What gate?" Sam and Callen both asked simultaneously as their eyes moved back and forth across the back fence.


	7. Chapter 7

"I'll show you." Mrs. Walker replied as she walked towards the right corner of the back fence.

"The people who had the home before us had three young children. The people who live behind us have two children. The two families were great friends. Actually I think they still are good friends. They had the gate installed so the children could easily go back and forth to play. The reason this home was put on the market was because the father received a promotion, at work, but it meant the family had to move to Seattle. When we first moved in the children, in the house behind us, use to use the two gates as a short cut to go back and forth to school. Sometimes they would leave the gate open."

The back gate was not easily noticeable to the naked eye as a beautiful mature garden was growing in front of it. It was not until the agents were on top of the gate that they were able to notice the door and latch.

"Don't go any closer." Callen said as he gently grabbed Mrs. Walker by the arm and pulled her back.

"There are footprints in the earth around the area of the gate, and the bush in front of the lock has a couple of broken branches."

The imprints were too large to belong to Mrs. Walker.

"Has your husband or a gardener been back here within the last couple of days?" Sam asked.

"No. We don't have a gardener. We do all the yard work ourselves. I haven't been out here for a couple of days and Matthew, my husband, has been out of town."

"What size of shoe does your husband wear?"

"Size 9."

Sam was crouched down examining the shoe prints.

"These were made by a size 11 shoe." He stated.

"I'll call the LAPD lead detective. We need a forensic specialist here." Callen said pulling out his phone from his back pocket.

Callen phoned as Sam took a few photos and downloaded them to Eric and Nell. He was hoping they could analyze the tread of the shoe print, and match the tread to a specific brand of shoe. If the tread turned out to be unique to an expensive type of shoe, then only a handful of stores in the LA area may sell them. It was a long shot, but one that if it panned out could perhaps help identify the kidnapper.

"Callen."

"Yea."

"Come here and tell me what you see."

Callen walked over to where Sam was standing which was about midway between the side and back fence gates.

Looking past the back fence, the neighbour's backyard, down the side of the neighbour's home, past their side gate, and across the street to the home on the other side, Callen realized what Sam was viewing.

"Everything is directly in line with the Coverman's home. That is the Coverman's home we are staring at."

"Yea, they parked in front of this house. Those footprints are of our kidnapper."

"Let's hope they left more evidence than just those. Let's hope they left some finger prints on the gates."

Kensi and Deeks spoke to as many people at the park that they could possibly speak to.

"What do you think?" Kensi asked.

"We don't seem to be getting anywhere. We have spoken to everyone in site. People recognize Cassie and her mother's photo, but no one seems to have noticed anyone watching them." Deeks replied.

"No one seems to remember spotting someone who seemed to be out of place at the play park. Someone, who was alone, sitting on a bench, just watching the kids play." Kensi added.

Kensi scanned the vicinity. The play area was located only a few feet from the main entrance to the park. Across the street, from the entrance, were a number of small businesses. The majority, were small boutiques, but there were a couple of bistros and coffee shops.

"What are you thinking Kens?"

"Let's go talk to some of the store employees, maybe get a coffee or something."

"I'm with you." Deeks replied as the partners walked out of the park and across the street.

The Walker's home was a centre of activity. Forensic specialists were combing every inch of the back and front yards. Even the road, in front of the home, was being examined for tire treads.

Callen and Sam were standing, on the side walk, in front of the Walker's home speaking to the lead LAPD detective. Examining the map, the agents had been using, the three law enforcement personal marked off the most probable route the kidnappers took to both arrive and exit the neighbourhood. It was mutually agreed that the LAPD would remain on site at the Walker home and continue to look for clues, while the two NCIS agents took a walk along the probable "get-a-way" route. Experience had told all three that the route needed to be walked to get a proper perspective on everything. There maybe something that could only be noticed by actually walking and viewing things directly with the native eye.

Sam and Callen headed off.

Kensi and Deeks had made inquires at every shop along the street in front of the park. Not a single employee was able to give any useful information. Several of the stores had visible motion sensor security systems, but none sported video surveillance cameras. Finally, feeling frustrated, they had decided to return to a small independent coffee house and purchase a couple of coffees and brownies. The patio, in the front of the store, was not busy and the two detectives decided to take a table and have a short break to review the case.

"We're not getting anywhere." Kensi sighed.

Deeks sat back in his chair, folded his hands behind his neck, and looked around.

"This is definitely the kind of place where people who want to watch kids would hang out."

"Deeks, we have to be missing something. I know we don't seem to be making any progress here, but I'm not ready to give up on this angle. My gut is telling me to keep searching here."

"Then we stay and keep searching. I learned way back when I was a rookie, in uniform, to always trust your gut."

Kensi glanced over at Deeks, and gave him a small grin.

"Yea, you would have worn a uniform at one time. That never occurred to me before."

"Did you have your hair short?" Kensi asked with her grin still present and a slight twinkle in her eye.

Deeks sat forward again and gave her a mischievous grin. A grin that matched the one she was giving him.

"I did have it short, and I was clean shaven."

Kensi bit the bottom of her lip and sat watching Deeks, with that twinkle in her eye.

"_Damn Deeks. Why did you have to put that image in my head? Deeks with short hair, clean shaven, and in a uniform. I've always had a weakness for great looking guys in uniform. Must be from growing up military."_

"_Ohh Miss Blye. I think I may have just found your one real weakness. What did I do with those uniforms of mine? I'll have to check my closets. Next time Hetty needs someone in a uniform, for a case, I think I'll volunteer. Crap Ray, I do have a "thing" for Wikipedia."_

"Why? You have a thing for guys in uniform?" Deeks asked while maintaining that mischievous grin.

Kensi stopped biting her bottom lip, but the twinkle in her eye was still obvious. She looked away from Deeks and remained silent. It was as if she was at a lose for words.

"You so totally do."

"Do not!"

"You so totally do." Deeks repeated while sporting a full blown smile.

Kensi licked her lips.

"_Damn Kensi. How are you going to get out of this one? Come on, think fast."_

She was about to turn her head to face a goofy smiling Deeks when something caught her eye.

"Deeks"

"Yea"

"The bakery next door."

"What about it. Don't tell me you want more sweets. You just had a huge brownie that I swear was made in heaven. It was almost as good as sex."

Kensi whipped he head around to face him.

"No, I don't want more sweets."

"You want sex then!" Marty asked, still giving her his famous smile and clearly enjoying where this conversation was heading.

"No! … Would you stop smiling at me like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like you've found one of my buttons to press."

"Have I?"

"Have you what?"

"Found one of your buttons to press?"

"No!"

"You sure?"

"Yes! Deeks…focus please!" Kensi stated, clearly becoming flustered.

"Right, focusing. What are we focusing on?"

"The bakery next door."

"We focusing on the sweets or the sex part of the bakery?"

Kensi looked up, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

"_Why am I getting flustered? I know my period is due soon, but it is still too early for it to be having this type of affect on me. Besides, men don't tend to fluster me…No, no, no…no way. Damn it Ray. I do have a "thing" for Marty Deeks." _

Kensi opened her eyes, took another deep breath and faced Deeks.

"Would you look at the two coach lights, on either side, of the bakery, and tell me what you see, please."

"Okay, they're bronze colour, clear crackled glass, attached to the brick wall, clear colour bulbs, solar powered, and it appears that you change the battery and bulb by unscrewing the bud, on the top, and removing the upper section. Um…wait a minute…what's that. That button thing on the bud. Is that a small camera?"

"Yea...lt is. There's one positioned on both coach lights. The one closest to us points out towards the sidewalk and street in front of the store. The camera lens, on the other light, points sideways and focuses on everything in front of the store as well as the entire stretch of sidewalk. They capture everything occurring along this stretch of the area."

"We need to go back in there. We didn't ask about security camera footage when we went in earlier because we had no indication that a system was present on the premises."

"The owner wasn't there when we first went in, only a few employees. Chances are the employees don't even know the system is in play. We have to get a hold of the owner and talk to them. They're probably the ones who installed it and are the only ones who have access to it."

"If those cameras are active, we need to have a look at yesterday's footage. There could be a video of Jessica at the park with Cassie yesterday, and possibly someone watching them."

Deeks took the last gulp of his coffee.

"Ready to go Kens?"

"Yea."

"By the way Kens…I like how you have your hair today. The French braid down the back is hot."

Kensi stopped, looked at Deeks, and then headed towards the bakery with a smile on her face.

"Thanks Deeks."

For some reason, a smile seemed more appropriate right now than the usual rolling of her eyes response.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi everyone. I would like to thank all those who have been following my story. To my one reviewer who pointed out my obvious spelling mistake, Thank-you, I have repaired my error. Like I said I enjoy receiving reviews and I do not mind if they are negative. Positive reviews are great though. Here is Chapter 8. Please keep reading, I promise the first three chapters are going to eventually tie in.**

Eric and Nell sat in front of their monitors analyzing the code of the security company's monitoring system.

"This site was well set up. Whoever wrote this code definitely knew what they were doing." Nell stated.

"They are using a couple of different firewall programs to protect their system. They have well protected themselves and it would be really difficult to even attempt to penetrate their system. My expert opinion is that it would take a world class hacker to get in without detection." Eric responded studying the code in front of him.

"Could you get in? Nell asked.

"It would be a challenge, and take a considerable amount of time, but I think I could. I don't think I would be in long though before I would be detected."

"It keeps track of every alarm system the company has installed and monitors. At any given time the company can tell if a system is active or not. Every time a code is used to turn a system on or off it is recorded. It's designed that when an alarm is activated, and if it is not disarmed within 30 seconds, it is registered at the monitoring station. Ten seconds later the system will have matched the alarm to the address it is registered to, the home or business owner's contact numbers and the local authorities' numbers. This information will then be displayed on a main screen at a main monitoring centre. A customer service rep will then have the local authorities dispatched and contact the owners. Generally the whole process takes approximately 50 seconds." Nell said.

"Hmm." Eric replied.

"What's hmm?"

"I'm not sure yet."

"I have found the log where the Coverman's system was recorded as being disarmed. It definitely appears as though the system was turned off by punching in their code."

"It was a rather unusual hour. I mean 3:34 am. I guess the Security Company doesn't really monitor for unusual activity."

"Kids get sick in the middle of the night, and have to be taken to the hospital. People come home late from being out somewhere. A gas leak, somewhere in the neighbourhood happens, and people have to leave their home. There are lots of reasons why the system would have to be turned off." Eric replied still viewing his monitor.

"Here, look at this Nell."

Nell leaned over closer to Eric in order to view his screen better.

"This code is written perfectly line after line after line. Then all of a sudden there is this little bit of dribble drabble at the end of this line. Then again at this one and then again at this one. Every so often there is a line of code that does not seem to belong."

"Um, let's isolate the lines in question first." Nell suggested.

Four minutes later the two techs sat back in their seats and turned to stare at each other.

Hetty was notified to come to ops and the "team" were all conference in via their phones.

"We have isolated a small program within the main program. It was well hidden, and appears to have gone undetected for at least three years. The code was added to the end of several original code lines. At first it appeared to just simply be useless jibber jabber that was left at the end of a line by accident. Once we isolated every piece we realized that was not the case. The program is one that, when activated, can be used to turn off any security system this company has installed and monitors. You no longer need the actual access code for that particular system. This program overrides the actual access code for the security system targeted forcing it to accept "Entry123" instead." Eric explained.

"The Coverman family was targeted." Deeks said.

"We believe they were." Nell replied.

"It appears that the code is activated through one of the screens the customer service reps use when they are registering a newly installed system. If "activity343" is entered in the space for name and then "enter" is clicked a hidden screen appears."

"What does the hidden screen do?" Sam asked.

"It just simply wants an address to be typed in. Once that has been done and "enter" clicked it activates the program." Eric answered.

"The system associated with the address entered can now be turned off using "Entry123". Sam replied.

"Exactly."

"There is something else. As brilliant as this is, there is a flaw. The code was designed so that when the program is activated it will only remain that way for 3 hours. After that it, automatically de-activates itself. Essentially giving the perpetrators a 3 hour window to enter the premises targeted. Once it de-activates, it is suppose to erase the address that was entered, and the original access code to the system targeted will be reinstated. We should not even have been able to tell that the Coverman's system had been tampered with. The thing is the main system has been maintaining the addresses that were entered. Nell and I have uncovered 64 addresses from all over the country. We are trying to discover if there were crimes committed involving any of these locations."

The few moments of silence that followed this revelation spoke volumes. Everyone was thinking the same thing. What had they stumbled upon?

"Can this program be activated from off site?" Callen asked.

"I could probably do it. It would take me awhile to crack the firewall. I do mean awhile. Honestly though, I think it was an inside job."

"Keep digging. Do a search of all the employees working in the LA office. See if you can isolate what computer was used to activate the program. Was the same computer consistently used? Was there a particular employee working every single time?" Callen said.

"Sam and I are still in the Coverman's neighbourhood. We may be on to something. We'll check in again soon."

"Deeks and I may have some video footage for you to analyze shortly. We are about to enter a small shop that is across from the park where took her daughter to play yesterday. They seem to have video surveillance."

Sam and Callen had walked from the Walker's home along the proposed route the kidnappers had taken to both enter and exit the neighbourhood. They were standing on the corner where the main street and the small neighbourhood street connect. From the main street the perpetrators could have connected to a main highway from a number of locations in both directions.

"This is the corner G. There is no bus stop at this corner. No fear of "witness" standing around waiting for a bus. There are no bars or pubs located near this corner that are open late. There are no banks with bank machines that could have captured something on security camera and there are no traffic cameras."

"Okay, then let's not focus on what is not here. Let's focus on what is here."

"Alright then. What do we have G."

"We have a butcher shop, a fruit and vegetable market, a bistro, a drycleaners, a deli…"

"G, we have a bakery across the street right on the corner."

"Yea..."

"Bakers are in early. I mean early. Like four or five a.m. early."

Sam and Callen looked at each other.

"Let's go talk to the baker." Callen said.

The bakery had three early morning bakers. One started at four a.m., and the other two started at five am.

"To be honest I don't remember seeing a vehicle being driven out of the neighbourhood. The only time I may have seen something though is when I first arrived. Once I am inside I am in the back of the bakery. I am the bread maker. I need to get the bread put together and rising before five. Other wise we don't have it ready in time to open."

"We are both pastry chefs. Like our colleague, once we are here, we are in the back of the shop."

"Sorry, but I don't recall a vehicle in the area."

"Neither do I."

"Did you talk to the owners of the jewellery store?" The four a.m. baker asked.

Sam and Callen turned to look out the front window of the bakery.

"Where is the jewellery store?" asked Callen.

"It is across the street, on the other side of the intersection, three stores down. The owners had a hidden security camera system installed a couple of days ago. They had a smash and grab robbery a couple of weeks ago. Right in the middle of the day, if you can believe it. If one of the cameras is focused on the front, of the store, it may have captured something."

"Thank-you for your co-operation. This is my card. If you think of anything else don't hesitate to call." Sam said as he handed each of the three bakers his card.

Sam and Callen left the bakery and headed to the jewellery store.

The jewellery owners were a man and wife team who were only too pleased to help the two NCIS agents.

"There are five cameras in total on the premises." The gentleman owner said.

"The first four focus on the back door, the back workshop, and the main section of the store. The last camera is positioned, in the front window, to face the entrance, the sidewalk and the street immediately in line with our shop."

The wireless security camera system operated on a 24 hr cycle. The images were downloaded every 20 seconds to a computer in the back office. Every Monday and Thursday evening the images were downloaded to a flash drive and the data on the computer erased. The information was kept on the flash drive for a month and then erased.

Sam phoned Eric and gave him the access codes to enter the jewellery stores system and download the images from the last 48 hours.

Callen thanked the jewellery store owners for their help and left them his business card.

"Sam, I think we should head back to the Walker's home and talk to the LAPD. Try to keep them informed and see what they have found out. Tell them we will have the footage analyzed, and let them know if anything shows. Then head back to the mission."

"Yea, Did I mention I hate cases involving kids." Sam sighed.


	9. Chapter 9

Eric and Nell began the task of analyzing the footage.

"I think we should start with the two hours before and after Cassie was believed to have been removed from her home." Nell said.

"You're right. Depending on which way the kidnappers came and left the neighbourhood they may have driven past the jewellery store. If we are lucky we will not only get the make and model of the vehicle, but be able to get a license plate or at least a partial plate number."

Kensi and Deeks located the owner of the Bakery.

"I do not know what you are talking about. I do not have a surveillance system." The petite blonde, middle aged woman replied.

"Yes you do." Kensi said.

"Look, either you help us out or I make a couple of phone calls, have a search and seizure warrant issued, get it delivered here by uniformed LAPD officers in a cruiser, shut you down for the day, all the while with my partner and I standing here." Deeks replied.

"Well…come to the back office please." The owner, Mrs. Bland sighed.

"I installed the system a couple of months ago. Supplies were going missing. You know, flour, sugar, salt etc... I knew one of my employees was stealing from me. I didn't want the employees to know I was watching them. That's why I didn't put signs up."

"Did you catch the thief?" Kensi asked.

"Yea, I did. It was one of the young guys I hired to work the front counter. Turned out his family owns a catering business. That's why he did it. I fired him. I wasn't sure if the way I caught him was really legal. I didn't want any trouble, but I wanted him gone. I showed him the video I had, and then fired him. I haven't seen or heard from him since."

"Are the cameras still on?"

"I only have the ones outside still on. There are the two, you spotted in front, and one at the back door."

"Would you be willing to give us access to the footage from the two front cameras from the last 48 hours?" Deeks asked.

"If I do am I going to have any trouble with the police?"

"Put a sign up, in your establishment, that you have security surveillance cameras. As far as we are concerned the sign was there when we came in the store and you were extremely co-operative with us."

Mrs. Bland looked at Deeks and sighed again.

"Alright, I'll give you the flash drive. It's a wireless system that downloads directly onto the computer on my desk. Every morning at six o'clock I download the last 24 hrs onto a flash drive. Then I erase the data from my computer."

"How long do you keep the video after you obtain it?" Kensi asked.

"Three weeks. I didn't think I would need to keep it any longer."

Mrs. Bland gave Kensi and Deeks the flash drive with the video download from the past 72hrs.

"One more thing, hold off putting that sign up in your store until the beginning of next week. Monday morning will be fine. Don't worry; you won't get into any trouble. As far as my partner and I are concerned, the sign was always there." Kensi said with the voice and look of a law enforcement officer deep in thought.

Mrs. Bland looked back and forth between the two partners.

"Ahh, yea sure. It will go up Monday morning first thing. Not a second sooner or later."

Kensi thanked the owner for her co-operation and left her a business card.

"Please call if you remember anything."

Twenty minutes later Kensi and Deeks walked into the mission and headed straight to the ops centre.

"Hey Guys." Deeks said.

"Kensi and I have a flash drive for you to look at. It contains surveillance camera footage from the store we mentioned earlier on the phone."

"Let me see." Nell said reaching for the flash drive from Deeks.

"Sam and Callen phoned a few minutes ago. They're on their way back here." Eric stated staring at a screen full of police reports.

"We should be ready to have a meeting with everyone when they get here". Nell replied as she inserted the flash drive into an USB port.

Fifteen minutes later Eric blew his whistle from the upstairs balcony. The entire team, including Hetty, assembled in ops.


	10. Chapter 10

"Since our last conversation, we have done a complete sweep, of every employee currently working at the security company." Nell said.

"There are three employees that were on shift, over the last three years, every single time the hidden program was activated and an address was entered. A janitor, a night security guard and a customer service rep. We ran background checks on all three, as well as the hot dog vendor, ice cream cart owner and the grounds keeper from the park and found nothing at first." Eric replied as he displayed their photographs on a screen.

"It didn't strike us until we started to review the footage from the security cameras, that both Callen and Sam found and Kensi and Deeks submitted to us, that we had missed something. According to the jewellery store's camera footage 36 vehicles drove past the business between the hours of 1:30 a.m. and 5:30 am. Of those only one went by the neighbourhood 15 minutes prior to and after the time the Coverman's security system was deactivated and Cassie is believed to have been taken." Nell explained.

"It was a navy blue utility van. A work van that contractors tend to use. The kind that once you get past the front section there are no windows. We were only able to get the make and model and the first three digits of the California licence plate. We were in the process of running the first three digits of the plate and trying to match results up with the description when Kensi and Deeks arrived with the bakery's flash drive."

"According to the footage, they found, the same vehicle, over the last three days, has arrived at the park at 10:30 a.m. and has left at 10:45. It seems to arrive and leave again at least three other times during the day. The last time each day it arrives is at 7:30 pm. From the bakery's footage we were able to confirm the make and model, and were able to obtain a complete license plate as well as photos of the people associated with the van."

"Who are they?" Callen asked.

"The first gentleman is the hot dog vendor. According to the van's license plate he is the registered owner of the vehicle. The photo on his driver's licence matches the gentleman in the footage. It appears that the van is used to carry supplies and to pull the hot dog cart. The second gentleman is the night guard from the security company." Nell answered.

"Does anyone else get the sense that these two are involved in something else other than the hot dog business, and night guard employment?" Deeks asked.

"That's the same question Nell and I asked ourselves. Like we said earlier, the background checks did not seem to reveal anything…at first. We went back over both profiles and noticed something. Their social security numbers are only 4 digits apart. It is possible. Perhaps just a coincidence. Then again I do not tend to believe in coincidences."

"I ran both names and birth dates through death registrations in every state. Our hotdog vendor is known as David Mitchell Evans, born March 2, 1979 in Colorado. David Mitchell Evans died at the age of 17 months on Aug. 12, 1980 in Colorado. The night guard is known as Paul Eric Michaels born Dec. 8, 1978 in Texas. Paul Eric Micheals died on April 24, 1980 at the age of 16 months in Texas."

"They both have false identities. Could they be in the witness protection program?" Sam questioned.

"We thought of that as well. The witness protection program is not that careless. Our understanding is the aliases they create are full proof. The names, birth dates, social security numbers, green cards everything is completely fictitious. No, these guys did this themselves."

"The night guard is most likely the one tampering with the security systems. He seems to be stationary. He has worked at the same location for the past three and a half years." Nell said.

"David Mitchell Evans seems to be a bit of a nomad. Over the last four years he has obtained hotdog vendor permits from towns in seven different states. He appears to stay a few months and then he moves on."

"The hotdog vendor is the one that is probably scouting the kids and then grabbing them." Sam stated.

"We are running their faces through law enforcement data bases to see if we can obtain a match. Try to find out who these guys really are. So far no luck." Eric stated.

"Both of these men are renting apartments under their aliases, and both appear to live alone. We cannot find any phone records, landline or cell. They are probably using pay as you go phones. The number the night guard has listed as a contact number on his employment file is a fake." Nell said as she displayed the apartment locations on a computer screen.

"What about the addresses you found when you were digging into the security company's main system?" Deeks asked.

"The final total of addresses we located was 69. The addresses are from all over the country. Nell and I just completed running every address against local law enforcement data bases. In every case, except for five, a child was abducted. They are all under the age of six. None of them have been ever located. No sightings, no body…nothing."

"Guys…what have we stumbled on?" Deeks said slowly.

"It's a child abduction ring of some sort." Callen replied.

Except for the underlying humming of the computers, an eerie silence descended upon the room.

"Why hasn't any police force figured this out before now?" Kensi inquired.

"The 69 addresses we located were from all over the country. Yes, there homes all had security systems installed and monitored by the same company, and the majority seemed to disappear from there homes, but that is where the similarities end. The children's descriptions are as varied as possible. Blond hair, brunette, red heads, blue eyes, green eyes, hazel eyes, thin, chubby, Caucasians, African Americans, Hispanics…you name it. The odd child was taken over night, but the majority seemed to disappear during the middle of the day. Taken out of their back or front yards. No one has ever witnessed anything. The majority of the time, even though the home security system was tampered with, the home was not entered and the system was therefore never turned off. Some families have had a system with this company for over ten years; others have only had the system for only a few months. Until now, nothing was ever caught on a security camera. The dots just were never connected." Nell answered.

"These people are smart. They haven't slipped once, until now." Sam replied.

"They slipped because the jewellery store just had the surveillance equipment installed two days ago and the bakery's system was hidden and not advertised." Kensi said thoughtfully.

"_Good detective work Miss Blye. That's why you wanted the Bakery owner to hold off putting her sign up." Deeks thought glancing at his partner._

"What about the treads I sent you? The ones G and I found in the neighbour's yard. Anything unique about them?"

"I ran those and discovered they belong to a generic brand of shoe sold in discount department stores throughout North America. It's impossible to know where they were purchased." Nell answered.

"It is 1:30 p.m. now. If these gentlemen continue with their "routine" we have a few hours before this Mr. Evans will complete his day of work. Mr. Beale, I assume some finger prints may aid in the identification of this suspect." Hetty inquired.

"Yes."

"Mr. Callen, Mr. Hanna, I want the two of you to go to the park and purchase hotdogs from this vendor. Make sure when you pay you will require change back. Then bring the change and the hotdog wrappers here to have them both dusted for finger prints."

"Miss Blye, Mr. Deeks, go and check the home addresses of our hotdog vendor and night guard discreetly." Hetty commanded.

"Our first priority is to locate Cassie and return her safely to her family. Our second is to shut down this operation, whatever it turns out to be, arrest those involved, and try to locate the whereabouts of these other children. We have two suspects, who believe we have no knowledge of them. I suspect there are more individuals involved. You all need to be very discreet. We cannot take the chance of them being "spooked."

"Mr. Beale, Miss Jones continue your investigation into the background of our suspects and the crimes we believe they have committed. Do you have all the access you need to the security company's computer system?"

"Yes, we do." Eric answered.

"Good, I am going to make a couple of phone calls to have the LAPD techs removed from the company's premises. The night guard is obviously, currently not at work, but it is possible that there is someone else, on site, who is involved. They may be watching and updating our suspect. At the moment we have the upper hand. I do not want that situation to change. I will have the LAPD techs leave the premises, thank the CEO for his co-operation, and say they found nothing out of the ordinary."

"How much of what we have discovered should we tell LAPD?" Callen asked Hetty.

"At the moment very little. I will take care of LAPD. I know how to deal with them."


	11. Chapter 11

Callen and Sam were back at the mission within 40 minutes with the requested hotdogs, wrappers and change ready to be handed over to the lab for fingerprint analysis.

Kensi and Deeks parked down the street from the hotdog vendor's apartment complex. It was a series of four two story buildings built in a square with a pool and gardens in the centre courtyard. The apartments all had outside front entrances that faced the courtyard. There were stairs at either side of each building that gave access to an upper balcony and the second story apartment's front doors. According to their Intel, the suspect had rented an apartment on the far corner, of the second floor, of the third building.

The partners had decided Kensi would knock on the door to see if anyone answered. Deeks would hide against the outside wall and be her back-up if necessary. If someone answered Kensi would play startled, and pretend she thought her friend lived there. When no one answered they quietly entered the premises.

The night guard lived in a three story home that had been converted into flats. He was renting the main floor flat. Kensi and Deeks had not seen the dark blue van parked in the driveway or anywhere along the street. Following the same scenario as before they approached the building and Kensi knocked on the apartment's door. .

The partners returned to the mission a few minutes behind Sam and Callen. Other than two vary neat and sparsely decorated apartments Kensi and Deeks had found absolutely nothing.

"Their places were practically empty other than a few pieces of furniture and some clothing." Kensi said.

"The only mail present was personal bills. The two things that were odd, in my opinion, were the lack of any type of business records and electronics." Deeks stated.

"I mean what guy do you know doesn't own electronics."

"I never met one that didn't own every new device he could get his hands on." Kensi replied.

"Exactly Princess. Other than a TV, there was nothing. No computer, no lap top, no gaming system, no camera, no…"

"I think they got it Deeks."

"Hey, just saying." Deeks replied holding his hands up.

"I agree with Deeks, it is odd." Sam replied.

"The vendor guy is self employed, he must keep business records. He must have suppliers."

"We do know that he is not parking his cart at the complex where he lives. We asked at the rental office. They have never seen one or had any complaints about one in a parking space." Kensi said.

"Kensi asked a neighbour that lives in the house, next door to the night guard about a cart and they claimed they had never seen one." Deeks added.

"He has to be parking it somewhere." Callen said.

"What about renting a storage unit? Someplace where they could park the cart every night, and set up an office of some sort. It would keep everything out of their apartments. Like a missing child. The police ever came knocking door to door; they wouldn't see or find any evidence." Deeks stated.

"We need to go upstairs to see Eric and Nell." Kensi said as she headed up the stairs.

Callen got up from his desk to go and notify Hetty to join them in ops. Sam went to grab a water bottle from the staff fridge before heading upstairs. Deeks got up from his desk and headed up the stairs after Kensi. Lingering far enough behind so that he could watch her tight little butt sway back and forth as she climbed each step.

"_Oh, this is so wrong, and yet so right at the same time. I wonder if she knows just how delicious those tight little skinny jeans make that incredible butt of hers look. Of course she does. It's why she wears them. She's torturing me, or is she? Damn it Ray. I do have a "thing" for Princess. Focus Marty."_

Unfortunately Eric and Nell were not able to locate any other properties being rented anywhere in California under either of the two suspects names.

"We are going to have to tail them." Callen said. "See where they lead us."

"Kensi and I should follow the night guard. The hotdog vendor knows we are law enforcement officers from our earlier inquire at the park. He spots us…"

"You're right. Sam and I will go back to the park and watch the hotdog vendor. You guys will have to take the night guard."

"I guess the best place for Deeks and I to start is at the guy's apartment. He wasn't there earlier, but there was no indication he was not planning to come back."

"It's 3:30 now. If our guy continues with the routine he seems to have, then he won't be leaving the park until at least 7:00 tonight. The guard though, does seem to deliver supplies to him, throughout the day. That being said, Callen and I, should head to the park now."

Kensi and Deeks pulled into a shaded parking spot, down the street from the night guard's residence, behind four other vehicles.

"The van is in the driveway." Kensi said.

"You going to go and try to place that GPS tracking bug on the van or do you want me to? Deeks asked.

"I'll go." Kensi replied as she placed a baseball cap on her head and removed her jacket.

"What, we were here earlier. I'm trying to make it harder for someone to recognize me."

"I didn't say anything." Deeks replied putting his hands up.

"_Was thinking though. I didn't know you were a LA Lakers fan, and how can you possibly look that hot in a baseball cap. It's a baseball cap. Crap Ray."_

"_Hetty should make it mandatory that he has to wear one of those plaid shirts of his everyday to work. That blue V neck tee of his is too distracting. Now I have that image of him in a uniform with short hair and clean shaven in my head again. Crap Ray."_

Kensi quickly returned from her mission and hopped back into the driver's seat of her Cadillac.

"Kens…I've got a gut feeling about this case. I just don't know how to read it. I can't tell if it is good or bad. What about you?"

"Everything I know, everything I've been taught, everything I've experienced tells me the girl, for now, is still alive. I understand what you're saying though. Even though I believe the girl is alive, I've got an odd gut feeling. I can't read it."

"Heads up, there's our guy Kensi. He just came out of the front entrance of the house he lives in.


	12. Chapter 12

Deeks grabbed the camera, and took the usual surveillance photos, as Kensi turned the key to start their Cadillac. The guard, stopped for a moment, and seemed to engage in some polite conversation with a neighbour, before moving over to the blue van, getting in and pulling into traffic.

Kensi pulled out of their parking spot, staying a few cars behind the van. Deeks phoned Callen to let him and Sam know they were following the night guard. Then he phoned Eric to make sure the GPS was emitting a signal. It would mean Kensi and he did not have to stay close to the van. Eric could keep them updated as to where they needed to drive.

The guard made one stop at a bakery, and a second stop at a butcher shop, picking up obvious supplies for the hotdog cart.

"Do you think he is heading to the park next?" Kensi asked.

"I don't know? That confusing gut feeling I had earlier, it has settled down and is now telling me this is not an exercise in futility." Deeks replied while snapping photos.

"Then we think positive."

Five minutes later the van was back on the road and both partners realized they were not heading to the park.

"We are heading into an industrial park area. Stay a bit further back. The traffic has really thinned out."

"Call Eric, we may need him to be our eyes. I am going to pull over up here." Kensi said pointing to a vacant lot.

"Okay, guys he has come to a stop about 300 yards ahead of your location. I'll have the address for you right…now. It's a storage locker facility."

"Is there another entrance to the lot other than the one he used?" Deeks asked as Kensi began driving to the facility.

"There are three driveways into the facility. He took the one at the far end. Take the middle driveway. Park and then walk towards his location."

"Do not approach our suspect at this moment. Stay out of sight and take photos. Find out which locker he is entering." Hetty said.

She had somehow materialized out of thin air in the ops centre and was already wearing a headset.

Ten minutes later the night guard exited locker 47, got into the van, and drove out of the facility.

"Hetty, do you want us to follow him?" asked Deeks.

"Negative, Mr. Beale continue to track him please. I want you to pick the lock on the storage unit, and enter it. Do not break the lock. I do not want the suspects to know anyone has been there. When you enter tell me what you find. I'm staying on the phone. I can have the search and seizure warrant ready in five minutes."

"How does she do that?" Deeks mouthed.

"No idea." Kensi mouthed back.

It took Kensi and Deeks less than seven seconds to pick the padlock on the storage unit and lift the garage style door up.

The partners quickly scanned the small room.

"Hetty….we…" Deeks voice trailed off.

"Mr. Deeks! Is everything alright?"


	13. Chapter 13

"Mr. Deeks! Mr. Deeks!"

"Hetty…we need an ambulance." Deeks said into his phone.

In the far right corner of the locker, laying on the cement floor was a tiny blond haired child.

"We have Cassie Coverman…She has a pulse. She's unconscious. Kensi can't wake her; she's probably been heavily sedated."

"Hetty…we're standing in the middle of some type of…a command centre…office."

Pictures of Cassie and her mother, at various locations, adorned a section of the wall to Deeks right. Surveillance photos of two other children, and their families, hung on the same wall next to the Coverman's pictures. There was a metal filing cabinet and a computer server standing, in the back corner, opposite to where Cassie was lying. Three PC's sat on a table, along the wall, across from the photographs.

Kensi quickly handed Deeks her phone, as she attended to Cassie. Instinctively he knew what she meant. He snapped a few pictures of the room and equipment and swiftly sent them to Eric.

"Mr. Deeks, the ambulance is on the way. I am having a signed warrant faxed to my office as we speak. I will notify our LAPD lead detective and have Mrs. Coverman brought to the hospital and make sure he understands the importance that he is to remain the only one privy to this information for the time being. There are still too many unanswered questions in this case. I do not want our suspects "spooked" or arrested at this point. It is best that they remain, for lack of a better term, "clueless" for now while we continue to investigate."

The faint sound of a siren could be heard in the distance, rapidly becoming louder with each passing second.

"Hetty, the ambulance is almost here."

"Tell Miss Blye to accompany Cassie to the hospital. Then…"

"Wait…Hetty sorry, Deeks I need you to do something for me." Eric said as he studied the photos Deeks had taken and had sent to ops.

"Deeks, I can get in to their system and download the files, but I need you to do a couple of things. Go over to the first PC. The one that's closest to the server. Now…"

"Just a minute, the ambulance is here. I need to help Kensi a second."

Kensi gently picked Cassie up and carried her out of the locker towards the approaching ambulance. Deeks closed the door to the locker. The less the ambulance attendants saw the better. Kensi flashed her NCIS badge, and Deeks showed his LAPD badge, to the attendants as they exited the ambulance, and began questioning them about Cassie.

The two attendants looked at each other and without speaking another word opened the back of the ambulance, placed Cassie onto the gurney inside, took her vitals, placed an oxygen mask over her mouth and nose and started an IV.

"Gentleman, I need to accompany you to the hospital, and we need to leave now." Kensi stated.

"I'm sorry; we are not allowed to take anyone other than the patient." The younger of the attendants stated.

"The child is in the custody of the NCIS. I have to remain with her at all times. You have no choice."

"Greg, it's okay. This qualifies as a special circumstance. She can ride in the back with the patient." The older attendant said while motioning to Kensi to get into the ambulance and sit beside him.

"Gentlemen, you were never here. You did not attend this child. You know nothing. Do you understand?" Deeks said.

The two attendants nodded.

"Kensi, I'll be two minutes behind you." Deeks said as he helped the younger attendant close the back doors.

As soon as the ambulance was out of the storage facilities premises, Deeks lifted the door of the storage locker and entered.

"Okay Eric, I'm back. Tell me what to do."

"Miss Jones, where is the van currently located?" Hetty asked as Eric relayed instructions to Deeks.

"It's travelling east, and appears to be heading to the park."

"Please contact Mr. Callen on his cell phone and bring him and Mr. Hanna up to date and inform them of the approaching van with our suspect."

"Mr. Beale, how are you doing with the downloads?"

"Another 45 seconds till downloads complete Hetty."

"Mr. Deeks, as soon as the downloads complete I want you out of there. Leave everything the way you found it for now. Lock the storage unit door in the same manner as our suspect did. Then go to the hospital, and meet Miss Blye. Our suspect appears to be currently driving towards the park where Mr. Callen and Mr. Hanna are located. They can handle things for the moment."

"Downloads complete." Eric stated

"Okay Hetty, I'm in Kensi's car now heading out of the storage facility. I'll call when I get to the hospital."


	14. Chapter 14

"That was Nell. Kensi and Deeks found Cassie Coverman. The night guard lead them to a storage locker facility. The girl was inside one of the lockers. Kensi is in the ambulance, on the way to the hospital, with her now." Callen said.

"The girl's alive?"

"She's alive. She's been heavily sedated, but she is alive."

"Alright" Sam replied as the two partners fist bumped.

"Did they arrest the night guard?"

"No, Kensi and Deeks stayed back until the guy left the facility and then they broke into the locker. The locker's been set up as some sort of an office with computers and filing cabinets. Deeks is still there helping Eric to hack into the system and download the files. They'll be done, in a few minutes, and then Deeks will be heading to the hospital to meet up with Kensi. Our two co-partners did manage to put a GPS tracking device onto the van. Nell said the night guard is heading to our location."

"What does Hetty want us to do?"

"We are to watch and take pictures. We follow only if the hot dog vendor leaves with the night guard. Hetty has asked the LAPD Lead Detective, in the case, to quietly arrange for a couple of undercover detectives to be at the storage facility to watch the locker, in case someone we are not aware of shows up. She is having Nell and Eric fool around with the hydro signals on the street. As soon as the work crews show up to do the repairs, LAPD will send a couple of cruisers over to block the one road into the storage facility. That way if the night guard tries to check on the locker again alone he won't have access. Hetty and the Lead Detective want to try and catch both of our suspects at the locker together."

"Try to catch them both red handed." Sam stated.

"Makes the case a lot easier when it goes to court."

"Heads up G. There's our guy now." Sam said as he grabbed the camera.

LAPD Lead Detective Joseph Martin ended his phone call with Hetty Lange and then stood staring at his phone for a moment.

"_How did the NCIS manage to find this child? My people are still in the first stages of their investigation. They hadn't even managed to find where the perps had parked their car without the help of NCIS. Now I have to figure a way to get Mrs. Coverman out of her house and to the hospital without any of my fellow LAPD officers knowing the real reason I am leaving with her or where I am actually taking her. Oh and I have to get past all the news reporters down the street. Not to mention that I have to keep the entire investigation continuing as if the child is still missing."_

Detective Martin walked into the Coverman's living room and headed towards Mrs. Coverman who was still sitting on the black leather sofa.

"That was Agent Blye on the phone." Detective Martin said to Mrs. Coverman.

"_It may be easier to get Mrs. Coverman to co-operate if she thinks it was Agent Blye I was speaking with. She was here earlier and Mrs. Coverman knows she is working on locating her daughter. It is a bit of a connection that may just be enough to get her to come with me."_

"She would like me to bring you to meet with her. Her partner and she may have uncovered some evidence they would like you to view."

"_It is a lousy excuse, but hopefully it will be sufficient."_

"What kind of evidence?" Jessica Coverman said in a barely audible quivering voice.

"She wouldn't say anything other than it has to do with your husband's military background. I assume that is the reason I have to take you to her rather than she comes here."

"_Boy, I am really bullshitting it here. Can't believe any of my guys are buying this."_

"Please Mrs. Coverman. It will only take a short amount of time."

"Will it help find Cassie?"

"It may."

"What if the kidnappers phone when we are out?"

"Our guys can have one of the police women handle the call. We have the technology to make her voice sound exactly like yours."

"Please Mrs. Coverman. We should leave."

"Okay, I'll go."

Ten minutes later Mrs. Coverman was sitting in the passenger front seat of a LAPD black SUV wearing a borrowed LAPD jacket. Her blond hair was done in a bun and hidden under a LAPD cap. Dark sunglasses hid her blood shot, tear filled eyes. Detective Martin drove the SUV through the police blockade, past the news media and curious bystanders.

Three blocks later Detective Martin turned left. Once the SUV was clear of the intersection, two LAPD cruisers drove into the intersection blocking traffic. The odd news caster that had attempted to follow them was now blocked. Thirty minutes later and a vehicle switch, at an underground garage, the pair pulled into the parking lot of the hospital.

By now Mrs. Coverman had shed both the LAPD hat and jacket and Detective Martin had removed his LAPD badge from around his neck. In a sense they looked like any couple arriving at the hospital.

"Is this where Agent Blye wanted to meet?"

"Yes, please bare with me Mrs. Coverman. I assure you that this is not a waste of time. The moving around was simply to try and not be followed by the media. We are meeting Agent Blye and her partner here."

The two walked to the emergency entrance of the hospital.

Kensi had registered Cassie as Candice Byers at the hospital. The story she gave to the attending physician was that Candace had been drugged by a foster parent and left sleeping on a basement floor. She had been discovered by a case worker performing a random inspection. NCIS had been contacted, as the child's biological mother was in the US Navy.

Deeks met the pair at the front desk of the emergency department.

"Don't say anything right now, just follow me please. I'll answer any questions you have in a minute." Deeks said in a low voice.

Deeks led the pair to the room Cassie was being treated in.

"You have something you want me to look at." Jessica said in a confused voice.

"We do, if you could just look over here." Kensi said as she pulled the curtain back to reveal Cassie sleeping on a hospital bed.


	15. Chapter 15

"Oh my gosh, Cassie!" Jessica cried as she practically sprinted towards her daughter.

"What's wrong with her? Where was she? Can I touch her?" She said almost hysterically.

"You can touch her. She's been heavily sedated. The doctor's say she will sleep it off. She's a bit dehydrated and she has some hypothermia from lying on a cold cement floor for a few hours. The IV is to help hydrate her and the oxygen is helping improve her vitals. They were a little off from the dehydration and hypothermia. The doctors say she will be fine." Kensi replied.

Jessica sat on the edge of the bed, tears streaming down her face, as she gently caressed her daughter's small face.

"Can I stay with her? Can she hear me? Can I talk to her?"

"Yes you can stay and talk to her. I don't know if she can hear you, but I'm sure it won't hurt."

"Thank-you" She said to the people who had recovered her daughter.

"That was Deeks. Mrs. Coverman and her daughter have been reunited at the hospital." Callen said.

"How's the girl doing?"

"She's still unconscious, but the doctors say she'll be fine."

"You think these two are going to break with routine? According to the video surveillance Deeks and Kensi found at the bakery, over there, the night guard never hangs around. He drops off the supplies and then leaves." Callen inquired.

"That means "night guard" is breaking with routine. He's been here for 45 minutes now. Most of it sitting on that park bench."

"Just a minute I've got a call from Eric." Callen said as he answered his cell phone.

"Yea…yea…okay. Find anything in the computer files you downloaded. Okay…thanks."

"Remember where we believed the perps parked their car?"

"Yea, in front of the Walker's home."

"You know how along the curb there is usually some dirt, sand, dust. General road grim that just tends to collect there."

"Yea"

"LAPD forensic guys found some tire imprints there. They e-mailed the photos over to our OPS centre. Nell matched them to the tires on our perp's van. She used the surveillance videos we found to isolate the tires and then do the comparison."

"They find anything in the computer files they downloaded?"

"He and Nell are just starting to sort through them. He said to give them another 20 minutes at least."

"It's 4:30 now. How much longer do you think before these two pack up? I doubt they are going to wait till 7:30." Sam said.

"Me neither. I doubt "Night Guard" over there is planning on sitting on that park bench for the next two and a half hours."

Eric and Nell sat in the OPs centre scanning through the files from the suspect's computer.

"I think we better get Hetty up here again." Eric said as he reached for the inter office phone.

"Should I set up a conference call with the team?"

"Yea, they need to hear this."

"They need to hear what?" Hetty asked as she once again seemed to materialize out of thin air.

"I'll tell you in a moment, as soon as the team are all on line." Eric replied as he handed Hetty a head set.

"Callen and I are both here. What's up?"

"I'm here." Kensi said.

"I'm here." Deeks stated.


	16. Chapter 16

**I would like to thank everyone who has been reading my story. I have decided, after this chapter, to change the rating to M. I'm afraid things are going to turn dark. Graphic, I would say no, but dark definitely. I hope everyone will keep reading. Thanks for the reviews as I do enjoy receiving them.**

"The first thing is that the lab is still running the prints they were able to lift off of the hotdog wrappers and money Callen and Sam brought back and we are still running our suspects images through facial recognition databases. So far, no luck." Nell said.

"There is something about this whole alias thing that has been bothering me. Why not just come up with a fake name? Why go through all the trouble of finding someone who died years ago in order to basically steal their identity? It's obvious, from our investigation that they are not undercover cops or part of the witness protection program. Do we all agree?" Sam asked.

"Yea"

"Yea"

"Uh-huh"

"Do you have a theory Mr. Hanna?" Hetty asked.

"What if they created their aliases to look like they are U.S. citizens? Think about it a moment. What if they're wanted in another country, and are on the run from the authorities, or they have criminal records in another country? Both scenarios would make it hard for them to enter the U.S.. With a bit of research though, they could find someone in the U.S., who was born around the same time as them, but died young. Then they simply have to apply to the State the individual was born in, as them, and ask for a copy of "their" birth certificate. Once they have that they can apply for everything else they need. They could have the birth certificate sent to an address anywhere."

"That is an interesting theory Mr. Hanna. I will contact the Department of Records for the States of Colorado and Texas. I can see if they mailed the certificates or if our suspects picked them up. If they were mailed they should have a record of where the certificates were sent. We may be able to trace our suspect's identities using the mailing addresses." Hetty replied.

"Thinking along the lines of Sam's theory, why don't we broaden our fingerprint and facial recognition search?" Kensi stated.

"I mean, I'm good with accents and I didn't pick up on anything unusual with the hot dog vendor's dialect when Deeks and I spoke to him. I'm thinking that if he is from somewhere outside of the U.S., that English is not only his first language, but that he is from somewhere accents are not that different from ours. It would be easy for him to pick up the way American's speak in each region."

"If that's the case then Canada would be my first guess." Callen said.

"I'll contact the RCMP and ask them to run the prints and images we have." Hetty replied.

"Concerning our suspect's computers. Nell and I have reviewed half of the files retrieved from their computers. From what we can tell it appears as though they are operating some type of an adoption agency on line." Eric said.

"It's obviously not a legal agency. At the moment it seems as though they advertise their services on a chat room devoted to children's health care. The wording, in the ad, could have a double meaning. Anyone who is there to simply research their child's recent ear infection diagnosis would not even bother with the ad or even think twice about the double meaning. Others would know and click on it. From there they are given an e-mail address. It looks like a few e-mails are exchanged between our suspects and their potential client. Once it is determined the client is legit, our suspects will direct them to a chat room devoted to cars in order for them to obtain a code. The codes look like license plate numbers. Anyone who was on the chat site to genuinely discuss cars would not be any wiser." Nell said.

"Why do they need a code?" Sam asked.

"In order to get into a web page our suspects have set up. The thing is this site is well hidden within a legit local garage sale site, hence the need for a code to get into it." Eric added.

"Once someone has a code, they can go to the garage sale site and click on the "filing cabinet for sale" ad our suspects have set up. An error message automatically comes up. Anyone who was not involved would simply close it down and move onto the next ad. Someone with a code would now type it in where the cursor is and hit enter." Nell replied.

"What's on the web page?" Deeks asked.

"It's basically a shopping list. They place their order for what they are looking for in a child. Everything is listed. Skin, hair and eye colour, age, gender, height, weight and even religion. It looks like once everything is entered a second e-mail address is generated. By now the first e-mail address has been shut down." Nell said.

"Guys, I don't think the people who are using this service are the kind who simply want to adopt a child because they wish to be a parent." Kensi said thoughtfully.

"It's not. The second e-mail address is for our suspects to negotiate with their clients. These children are being purchased. Once the deal is complete and the "product" delivered the second e-mail address becomes inactive." Eric replied.

"We believe the reason for all the different steps on various web sites are a way for our suspects to try and stay well hidden and for them to determine if the potential client is real or a cop trying to pose as a client." Nell said.

"What have we stumbled upon?" Sam practically whispered.


	17. Chapter 17

"From what Nell and I can tell, this is a child abduction by order ring."

"The one thing about these guys is that they are very organized. They have kept meticulous records. Every child they have taken has a file that lists everything. The child's name, their biological parent's names and address, the name and address of the individual who bought them and how much they were sold for." Nell added.

"Are the addresses of the biological parents the same addresses you located on the program that was hidden in the security company's system?" Callen asked.

"I've just began comparing them, and so far yes." Nell replied.

"Okay, when you have finished that run the names and addresses of the adopted parents and see if they are real. If they are we may be able to locate these children and return them to their families."

"Mr. Deeks, Miss Blye I am sending MP`s to the hospital to relieve you. When they arrive, I want the two of you to return here. I believe Mr. Beale and Miss Jones will require extra help. We may have to organize a recovery mission." Hetty said.

The next three hours were a whirlwind of activity. Five minutes after the team's conference call ended the hot dog vendor shut down his cart and he and the Night Guard hocked it onto the back of the blue van and drove off. Twenty minutes later Callen and Sam, with the help of the LAPD undercover cops that were on stake out duty, arrested both suspects as they entered locker number 47 at the storage facility. The suspects were interrogated, at the scene by Sam and Callen, but were not co-operative. They were hoping to discover the location of the exchange between Cassie's kidnappers and her buyers. In the end, Eric found the information in the downloaded files. Callen went in place of the hot dog vender, met with the gentleman and made the arrest with Sam as backup. By 6:00 all three suspects were handed over to the MP's and taken to a military facility to be formally charged.

Sam's theory concerning why the suspects had gone to such lengths to obtain their aliases was not that far off. The RCMP, in Canada, identified the hot dog vendor, from his finger prints as Donald John Wayland. There was a nation wide warrant for his arrest, in Canada, for the possession of child pornography. When the RCMP was told the initial charges against him in the US, they were not that interested in trying to have him returned to Canada. The sentence he would receive, for his crimes in the US, would far out way what he would receive for his crimes in Canada. He had obtained the alias to hide his true identity in order to enter the US as a citizen. The real identity of the Night Guard was still not known, but everyone knew it was only a matter of time before it would be discovered. The theory was that he had not only obtained the alias in order to enter the US as a citizen, but to be able to obtain the job at the security company. They would have required him to pass a police check before hiring him.

Eric and Nell's research into the records from the downloaded files proved not to be an exercise in futility. With the co-operation of the LA police chief and Detective Martin, Cassie's recovery was kept quiet. As far as the LAPD and the press knew, Cassie was still missing. Hetty had contacted Director Vance and the head of the FBI. The age of the victims involved created an air of urgency with everyone. It was decided to recover all the children in one massive movement. Catch everyone off guard, suspects would not have the opportunity to pick up and run. It was a major undertaking that usually took weeks of planning. They were going to do it within a matter of hours. The names of the missing children and the addresses of where they were believed to be living were forwarded electronically to the FBI's head office in Washington. If there was a FBI field office in the region, where a child was believed to be, agents were sent to take the child into custody and to arrest all suspects. In area's where there wasn't a field office local police departments were contacted to retrieve the child and arrest the suspects. By 7:30 pm LA time reports were coming in from field offices, and police stations from all over the country. In the end 64 children were recovered including Cassie.

FBI agents were sent to the homes of biological parents to notify them that their child had been recovered. A national missing children organization was contacted by the FBI to aid in reuniting families. Both the victims and their families were going to require services this organization provided.

A joint statement was released by NCIS, the FBI and the LAPD. It simply stated that NCIS while investigating an unrelated case had come across some evidence involving an unknown child abduction ring. The information was forwarded to the FBI to review. From the evidence the locations of 64 missing children were obtained. LAPD was contacted as it appeared that Cassandra Coverman was the ring's latest victim. Her whereabouts was disclosed when a suspect in the LA area was arrested.

It should have been an evening of rejoicing. They had rescued 64 children. Director Vance had personally congratulated them on there exceptional investigation skills. Normally paper work would have been filled out and then the team would have gone out to celebrate. This night though, no one felt like celebrating. The FBI had made the NCIS privy to all evidence they located at every recovery site even though NCIS would only be prosecuting the Cassandra Coverman case. The team as a whole could handle most situations. They were a team, and they helped each other. This case though would prove to be very different.


	18. Chapter 18

**I would like to thank everyone who has been taking the time to read my story. I think there will be another two, possibly three chapters after this. I enjoy receiving reviews and I don't mind if they are negative. Positive reviews are great though. Let me know what you think. Thank you.**

Of the children who had been "adopted", some had lead fairly normal lives, in respect that they were enrolled in daycares and schools, played with neighbourhood friends, were feed properly, and had a decent place to live. Others lived in horrid conditions, hidden from the world, never going out. This knowledge wasn't what caused the issues. It was the images that began to come across the computer screen in OPs. Images located on the computers in the locker room, and from the homes where the victims had been living. They had not just discovered an abduction ring. They had found a pedophile ring.

Sam and Callen had gone to the mission's gym and worked out harder than they had ever worked out before. They were considering sending the manufacturer of their punching bag a note praising them on producing such a superior product. Then Sam headed home to see his kids and have a glass of a well aged scotch taking Callen with him. They sat on Sam's back patio till the early hours of the morning talking. Hetty had spent the majority of the evening dealing with Director Vance and the Director of the FBI as well as fielding a call from a very grateful Admiral Coverman. He phoned as soon as his plane landed to thank her and her team for recovering his daughter. Hetty never thought she would be in the position where she would be dealing with an Admiral sobbing. She then enjoyed a cup of very rare and expensive herbal tea before leaving the mission to attend midnight mass. Eric and Nell had become involved in a riveting on-line game of Halo Reach. It's amazing how well one can play when they have the need to release combustible levels of stress and energy. Kensi had left OPs and gone to the woman's change room. Mostly, she wanted to be alone for a few minutes to collect her thoughts. Staring at the woman's shower stalls she decided to take one of Hetty's quick "three minute showers". Somehow she felt that it would wash away the images that were currently tormenting her mind and soul. She then changed and packed her bag before heading out into the mission to locate her partner. He had left OPs earlier than any of the other members of the team, but she somehow knew he was still at the mission. She found him, in the bull pen, sitting at his desk staring at his paper work. That by its self did not worry her; after all it was no secret that Deeks did not like paperwork. What did scare her was the pale, lost, distant, depressed, haunting look on his face. She had seen that look before. Kensi took a deep breath, turned around and headed towards the men's locker rooms to retrieve her partner's bag. She returned to the bull pen, to find Deeks sitting in his chair hunched over, his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands. Kensi walked over to her partner, dropped her and Deeks bags on the ground, knelt down in front of him, placed her hands over his and removed them from his face. His eyes were moist, his face pale, his expression unchanged and his hands trembling.

Kensi cupped his face with her one hand, while holding both of his with her other. Gently she raised his face till their eyes met.

"Hey." She said quietly

"Kens…I…" He replied in an almost inaudible trembling voice.

"Shhh…." She said as she quietly placed a finger over his lips.

"You trust me, don't you?"

Deeks simply nodded his head once.

"Then come with me."


	19. Chapter 19

**Hi everyone. My friend read my story and recommended that I change the rating back to T. I am going to go along with their advice. If you disagree let me know. I can always change it back. Hope you enjoy this chapter and will keep reading. I do enjoy reviews. Thank-you.**

Kensi stood up and grabbed Deeks's jacket that was hanging over the back of his chair.

"You need to put this on. It's cold outside, this time of year, in the evening."

"Kens.."

"Shhh…you trust me Marty, remember." She replied as she held his jacket open for him to slip into.

Deeks looked up at Kensi, nodded his head once and slowly stood up

Smiling slightly she took his hand in hers, picked up their bags with her other hand, and lead them both outside to the mission's parking lot towards her Cadillac.

"We need to make a couple of stops before we hit the road, okay."

"Where…where…are we going?"

"Somewhere to heal…you trust me…remember."

It was near 11:30 at night when they pulled into the driveway of a medium sized, two storied, white washed, peaked roofed coastal beach cottage.

"We're here." Kensi said as she turned off the engine of her Cadillac.

"Where…where…is here?" Deeks questioned in a barely audible voice as Kensi opened the driver's side front door of the vehicle.

The two hour trip had gone more smoothly than Kensi had imagined. Deeks had sat staring out the front window with his hand on her leg for the majority of the trip. He wasn't in a good place and she knew the physical contact was helping. He needed to feel her touch. She had to admit to herself though that she was becoming more concerned about him as time ticked by. Different times Kensi had attempted to talk about anything, but he was too lost in his own thoughts. To break the silence she had put his favourite satellite music station on the radio. It did not tend to have news on it. Every other channel seemed to be reporting the case, and right now that was something Deeks did not need to hear. They had made two fifteen minute stops on the way. One was at Deeks to pick up Monty and to pack Deeks a bag with enough clothes and toiletries for three days. The second was at a family owned independent grocery store that Kensi knew of on the outskirts of LA. There they had picked up some milk, bakery goods, fresh fruit and vegetables, candy, meat etc... Kensi had been raised by a Marine. She could be packed and ready, or in and out of any store, in fifteen minutes or less. Her Dad had taught her well.

"It's my cottage." She answered as Deeks climbed out of the Cadillac and she opened the back passenger door for Monty to exit.

"When I was little, after my Mom died, my Dad would rent this place a couple of times a year for a week and bring me here. We would swim in the ocean; hunt for sea shells, build sand castles on the beach, go into town and buy ice cream cones…all the things I loved to do when we were here. I always felt better when the week was over. After he died, I wanted to come here, but I couldn't afford the rent. It wasn't until four years ago that I was finally able to come back here for a visit."

Kensi walked to the back of the Cadillac and opened the trunk. She handed Deeks the groceries to carry and she grabbed a couple of the bags.

"I kept my eye on this place for years. Two years ago it quietly went up for sale. I bought it the day it was listed. No one knows that I own it. I bought it using an alias; I created on my own, and not through NCIS. I rent it out for eight months of the year. The other four months I keep it for my own use. This is the time of year I have it to myself. That's why I didn't have to stop and pack anything. I leave things here this time of year. I've never told anyone about this cottage. Although I suspect Hetty knows. Somehow she knows everything." Kensi said with a sigh as she unlocked the front door.

"Hetty has given us the next three days off plus the week-end. I thought it would be a good time to visit. Come, I'll show you where the kitchen is. You can put the groceries into the fridge for me, while Monty and I go and get the rest of the bags from the car." She said as she walked into the cottage.

The cottage was beautiful inside. To the right of the entrance was a powder room and to the left was a large coat closet. Past the closet were a flight of stairs leading to the upstairs bedrooms. Past the entrance the cottage opened up into a full kitchen dining room area to the right and a large living area to the left. The back of the cottage sported two massive bay windows. The one on the left allowed a view of the beach and ocean from the living room. The other allowed the same view from the dining area side. Between the windows was a glass sliding door that lead out to a large wooden back deck. Past the deck were the beach and the ocean. The walls were painted warm neutral colours and all the floors were either hardwood or Italian ceramic tile. The kitchen contained maple cabinets, a ceramic back splash and a marble counter top. The living area was decorated with black leather and maple furniture.

Kensi and Monty returned from the car with the rest of the bags.

"I thought we could sit out back for a while, start a fire in the fire pit table, and listen to the ocean. Maybe we could have a drink or something to eat." Kensi said as she walked into the kitchen.

"Yea, sounds…good."

"Come, let me show you." Kensi replied as she took his hand in hers and lead him to the wooden back deck.

Deeks took a seat in one of the lounging deck chairs, on the left side of the deck, while Kensi started a fire in the bronze fire pit table that sat on a circular brick foundation towards the far right corner of the deck away from the cottage.

"I'm going to get Monty set up. I thought I would bring out his basket and get him some water and food. I'll be right back."

Deeks looked up at her and nodded.

Once Monty was set up, just to the right of the sliding glass door, she slipped back inside a moment to quickly prepare a tray for her and Deeks.

Returning she placed the covered tray of chicken skewers, buns, plates, utensils and condiments down onto the circular wooden deck table, located on the left side of the deck. She glanced over at Deeks. He was sitting sideways in the middle of one of the white washed wooden lounge chairs with his feet on the ground, his elbows on his knees, and his face in his hands.

She had become increasingly more worried about him over the last few hours. She had seen this before. The distant, lost, depressed look. Her fiancé had come home with it. She wasn't able to help him. He was too deep, into his own world, by the time he returned. Marty was nowhere near that place. He could be saved. She could save him, and this place could heal him. She knew it could. It had healed her once, when she had seen the same look on her own face. It's why she had brought him here.

Slowly Kensi walked over to where Deeks was sitting. Kneeling down in front of him, she gently pushed herself between his legs and slowly wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him close to her. He was trembling. As she began to caress his back she felt him remove his hands from his face, and gently wrap his arms around her waist, his face now buried in her shoulder.

Most people's nightmares would seem tame to the things he has seen, and the situations he has dealt with, as a cop. Fortunately the "bad things" that happened tended to be done to low life that were simply experiencing karma. The phrase "what goes around comes around" would come to his mind. Many times the "bad things" would result in an arrest and the end of his make believe life undercover. He could return to some type of normality. If he did experience any problems then there was always the sea and a great surf board. After a couple of hours, everything simply was washed away by the great Pacific. The only time he did have "issues" was when his partner Jess had been killed. She did not fall into the usually "fast fix-it" category. It was way more personal. In that situation finding her killer and the reason why she was murdered had worked wonders for his mental health. Joining another agency and distancing himself from his old world had helped as well. Today though… He had handled everything until his eyes had seen the images of the one small blond wavy haired, blue eyed boy. Memories had flooded his brain. Memories he had long since buried and kept at bay. Childhood memories he never wanted to deal with again. He knew what this small child had been experiencing. The boy's childhood was over. He hadn't even reached the age of six and it was already over, taken by adults. Adults, who had removed him from his warm bed, in the middle of the night, and taken him from his perfect family life, into the depths of hell. Adults that "they", no "he" should have protected him from. Everything rapidly became too much for Deeks. Quietly he had left the ops centre and gone to the mens room. There he had done something he had never done before. He vomited. He wasn't completely clear as to the events that had happened over the next few hours. He remembers sitting at his desk, Kensi coming to him, some of the drive, and the arrival at her cottage.

Now he was sitting on the wooden lounging chair, on the back deck. He was freezing. It wasn't that cold out, he had a jacket on, but still he was freezing. He felt Kensi kneel down in front of him. His first impression was she wanted to talk. He didn't know how to tell her he couldn't. Not right now. She never said a word though. Instead she wrapped her arms around his neck, drew him close to her, and started to caress his back. She felt so warm. He couldn't help himself. He wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his head in her shoulder. He was freezing, and she felt so warm. Her hand rubbing on his back, felt so warm. Everything he was feeling started to come out...the pain, the distress, the depression, the anger. The tears he had been holding back poured out of his eyes. She kept holding him not even whispering a word. She felt so warm.

She knew he was shedding tears. The slight dampness she felt through her top and the odd quiet sob she heard made it evident. How long the two partners remained in their embrace is something lost to the universe. All she knew, was that she had held him and caressed his back until she felt his breathing even out, the trembling dissipate, and his sobs subside. Keeping her arms around his neck, she slowly pulled away, just enough to be able to see his face.

When she pulled away slightly he thought about getting up, excusing himself, and hiding in the washroom of the cottage for awhile. Take some time to try and compose himself. He didn't really want her to see his face, to see him like this. No one had ever seen this side of Marty Deeks. He hadn't even seen this side of Marty Deeks. She felt so warm though. This felt so right. He couldn't move. So when she pulled away slightly from him he kept his arms around her waist and simply hung his head.

Kensi kept one arm around his neck. With the fingers, of her other hand, she gently traced his jaw line till she reached his chin. Positioning her middle and index fingers just underneath she raised his face till their eyes met. His were misty, bloodshot, ominous, distressed and the colour of an angry thunderous sky. He was struggling with a dark, violent storm that was raging inside his soul.

"The photos that were coming across. They stirred something up from deep inside you. Didn't they? Something you had long since buried." She softly asked as she moved her hand to cup his face.

He didn't know how to respond. The things he had lived through. He had never even spoken of them to himself, little alone to another being. All he could give her was a slight nod.

"You were beaten. As a child, you were beaten. You know what many of those children have been going through. How they feel. How they cope. The lengths they will go to try and please. To prevent more of the same treatment. You look at their photos and you can feel every bit of pain that you felt as a child. The pain they feel."

He swallowed hard.

"Marty, it's okay."

"It's not okay."

"It is."

"I didn't have the same childhood as you. I don't know what it is like to be beaten as a child; by the person who is suppose to be taking care of you. I can try to imagine, but I will never really completely sense what it is like. I do know what it feels like to be beaten by a love one, as an adult. My fiancé, when he came back, he'd have these episodes where he wasn't…"

She pushed her lips together, swallowed hard, took a deep breath and then licked her lips.

"He wouldn't recognize me and he would hit me, kick me...when I'd scream in pain it would usually snap him out of it. The times it didn't I seemed to be able get away, run to a neighbour for help. I've been punched, kicked, thrown as a result of our work. I can relate to the physical pain, and somewhat to the emotional pain experienced. In both situations though, I was an adult. I could make a choice to get help or walk away or both. You and those children didn't have that. I cannot completely relate."

With her thumb, Kensi absentmindedly, wiped away a single tear that was trickling down her partner's cheek. She was not one to talk about herself or her feelings. A lot had to do with her upbringing and training. Secrets are what they are…information that is never to be revealed. Right now though, her partner and friend needed her and her help. The only two ways she knew how to do that was to one bring him to her cottage and the other was to share a secret.


	20. Chapter 20

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and then quietly began to speak.

"I do know…what it's like…to be raped."

"Kens" Deeks whispered.

"I don't think it matters, if you are an adult or a child when it happens. The emotional devastation is the same. I wasn't recruited to NCIS by Hetty. I wasn't with our unit originally. I was the only female on another team." Kensi quietly said a mild quiver to her voice.

"There was this drug ring operating out of Virginia. It was suspected that they had recruited a few members of a navy unit. The ship they were assigned to tended to dock regularly in Miami. Cocaine was being brought into Florida from Columbia. Our guys were picking it up from a Columbian agent in Miami when they were in port. It was easy; they weren't even searched when they left the ship or returned. The military didn't just want the navy boys, they wanted everyone involved. We traced everything back to a high class gym in Virginia. It is where the exchange of goods and money seemed to take place. I was sent in to apply for work as a personal trainer. I had an ear bud and was supposed to have back-up at all times. The afternoon that the exchange was going down I was in the gym. The suspects began to slowly came in and head to a back office. As this was happening a couple of customers asked me if I could get some towels. The shelves were empty. I was told not to break cover. It was lunch time, there wasn't another employee around. I went to the supply closest, got the towels quick and when I came out, of the closet, the two customers jumped me. They dragged me downstairs, overpowered me and…"

"Kens…your back-up."

"They heard everything. Recorded it all. No one came to help. They were ordered not to leave there posts by our squad leader. To remain focused on the "task at hand". It was more important. They stood by and let it happen. By the time, one of my team came to look for me it was over. They were gone. I had three broken ribs, a broken arm and God only knows how many cuts and bruises."

Kensi was swallowing hard, trying to keep the lump that had formed in her throat, the tears behind her eyes and the now pronounced quiver in her voice at bay.

"Kens…there is no order from anyone that would have stopped me from running in and protecting you."

"I know." She replied as a tear spilled from her eye and began to trickle down her tanned cheek.

"I handed in my resignation two days later, after I was told by our leader that I was to forget about what happened. There would not be an investigation. No report would ever be filed. I wouldn't qualify for help from the unit's therapist. It didn't happen, so I didn't need to talk about it. He told me he wasn't going to accept my leaving. When I told him my mind was made up, he slapped me across the face and told me to take a couple of days off to grow up. Then he threw my resignation letter at me. When his hand touched my face it felt like I was…I ran out of his office leaving the letter on the floor."

Kensi's nervous system was in overdrive. Small uncontrollable waves of anxiety began to form, deep within her core. Every few minutes one came out as a short, but violent tremble that radiated through every cell in her body. Deeks, his arms still around her waist, had felt the last couple. Now it was his turn to draw her close to him.

"Shhh…Kens. You've told me enough."

"No, I need to finish." She replied quietly as tears ran down her face and dripped onto his shoulder.

"I was young. I just ran out of his office. To this day I don't even know how I was able to find my car in the parking lot. My eyes were full of tears. My face stung, every breath I took hurt, my arm was throbbing and I swear every muscle ached. Everything I had become, the strong, independent, confident woman all just vanished within hours. When I reached my car, there was a tiny older woman standing there, with a small cooler, waiting for me. She introduced herself as Hetty Lange. Hetty had me take a seat in the front passenger side of my car. She placed an ice pack on my face, gave me a bottle of water and got me to take my painkillers the doctor had prescribed for me at the hospital. Somehow she knew what had happened. I have no idea how. Until then I had never met her. She took me to a rape crises centre to meet with a councillor. Over the next few days she was there for me. I think, in that time, I experienced every emotion possible. I was a mess. Still, she continued to take care of me. She offered me the opportunity to join her team. She told me that I would never be asked to perform "favours" under her command. My back-up would always have my best interests first."

"Kensi, I didn't know."

"Only Hetty knows. She moved me back to California three weeks after the assault. She continued to make sure I received the help I needed. She made me a member of her team. She continued to train me. When I started to come to terms with what happened, Hetty gave me a thousand dollars from petty cash, and told me to use it to go away for a week-end. I used it to come here. I knew the effects this place could have. I came back, after that week-end, feeling better than I had since the attack 12 weeks earlier. Hetty saved me, but this place…this place healed my soul. I was able to really move forward, with my life, after my visit here. My confidence was back."

"It wasn't long afterwards that I started listing Hetty as my next of kin. She has always taken care of me the same way a mother takes care of a child. I think she is the closest I have to a mother."

The partners held each other in comfortable silence until the last tear was shed and the final tremble had left. Keeping their arms around each other, they pulled apart, just enough, to meet each other's eyes.

"This place…it heals. It heals the soul. I don't know how, but it does. I think it's why my dad brought me here. It's why I brought you here. Just give it some time…you'll start to feel it. It's…magical…it's…like walking on the edge...of Heaven." Kensi said quietly as Marty, moved his hands from her waist to her face, and gently wiped away the remnants of the last couple of tears from her cheeks with the pads of his thumbs.

With his hands still cupping her face he leaned forward and placed his forehead against hers. A few moments later he tilted his head, leaned in and shared a small gentle kiss with her. It was slow and lingering. It was sweet, passionate and full of promise. The type two people share at the end of a fabulous first date. The kind of kiss that neither participant really wants to end, but each knows that to continue would destroy what they were heading towards.

"I'll stay…for you. Stay…here."

Kensi nodded her head slightly as they embraced again.

Eventually the crackling of the fire caused both partners to part slightly and glance over at the fire pit.

"We haven't eaten since we stopped and had those coffees and brownies at that Bistro." Kensi said.

"I know."

"I…have the chicken skewers, we bought at the market, all ready to go. My dad taught me to cook over an open fire years ago. Would you like me to show you? The chicken will taste amazing when it's done. Especially on a bun with a little lettuce, tomato and some sauce."

"I know you probably don't have much of an appetite, I know I don't…but…I think we should try to eat something Marty."

"Yea…we should."

Kensi stood up slowly, and held her hand out to Deeks. Locking eyes with her, he reached up and placed his hand in hers. Slowly he stood up, and allowed her to lead him over to a bench near the fire pit.

From his basket, Monty had been keeping an eye on his Master and Kensi. The dog knew the minute the two had entered the apartment that something was terribly wrong with Deeks. He could sense it. Kensi had given him a small pat, on the head, as she had walked by leading Deeks, by the hand, over to the sofa. He had gone over and sat quietly on the floor beside Deeks, resting his head on his Master's knee in the hope that the gesture would help to comfort Deeks. His Master would know he was there for him. Kensi had raced through the apartment packing a bag of Master's belongings and then all of his things. A few minutes later he found himself sitting in the back seat of Kensi's car heading out of the city.

Now he was half lying, half sitting in his basket, on a back deck of a beach cottage. He had been glancing over at the two for the past hour. Kensi was taking good care of Master, he could tell, but that didn't mean he wouldn't go over to help if he felt he was needed. His feeling was that it would not be necessary though. Kensi was good for Deeks. He had seen how much happier Master had become, over the last few months, since she had come into his life.

No, Master was in good hands. What he was more concerned about was the strange tall, thin, muscular man, in the uniform, that was sitting in one of the white washed wooden Muskoka chairs in the corner of the deck to his right. He had walked onto the deck a few minutes after they had arrived, and had taken a seat in the chair. Kensi had even walked by him, a couple of times, and not even said anything. It was as if Kensi had not even noticed the man.

"_Perhaps it's because she is too concerned with helping Master right now. Strange though, considering she seems to notice everything." Monty thought._

Normally he would have barked, and made everyone aware of this strange person's presence, but something inside him told him there was no need. He could sense this person was not a threat, but that couldn't stop him watching and from still being concerned. It was his protective nature.

Monty glanced over at Deeks and Kensi. They were walking over to the fire pit. Deeks took a seat, beside the fire, and Kensi went over to the table to get the tray she had brought out earlier. When he looked at the strange man again, he was standing up and walking over to him.

"_Who is this strange man? Why are Kensi and Master acting they do not even see him?" Monty thought as he sat up in his basket._

The man knelt down in front of Monty, and began to pat his head. It was an odd feeling. The man was patting him, but he couldn't feel his touch. At least not in the normal sense. Every time the man's hand stroked his head, he felt a small gentle breeze. It caused the fur on his head to move ever so slightly. It was like a stroke, but completely different at the same time. Monty did know that with each stroke he felt more and more relaxed and less and less worried.

"Don't worry about them boy. They are both going to be fine." The man said softly as he looked over at Kensi and Deeks sitting side by side, on a cement backless bench, near the fire pit cooking.

"_Why can I understand everything you are saying? How can you completely comprehend what I am thinking?" Monty wondered._

The man smiled at him. "We just can."

"This place…it's a small portal. A pinhole, so to speak, in the vast scope of the universe. It's a place where Heaven and Earth brush ever so lightly together. It's a healing place for broken souls. It's why I was drawn here. It's why I brought her here and it's why she has brought him here."

"She tried to bring her friend Jack here, but he would never come. It was fate intervening. They were never really meant to be."

"Don't fret about those two boy. Your Master…and my Daughter are different. They're life paths have always been meant to cross…They're good for each other." He said smiling while stroking Monty.

"They don't know it yet, but they will"

"_He's been happier since she's come into his life."_

"I know...and she's soon going to stop denying the fact that he's more than a just a friend or a partner to her."

"_It scares her."_

The man smiled and stroked Monty. "It does, but a lot less than it did a few months ago. That's why tonight; she's going to allow him to share her bed. He won't be able to settle and fall asleep without holding her in his arms. It will only be the beginning."

"_Are you sure she's ready? Ready…to let him in? Ready to try love again?"_

"Yes…now that she has brought him here, this place can heal more of her soul. It was never able to before. Not until he came here with her. This place will help him deal with the torment that is currently raging through him. Then it will help them both. They're soul mates."

"_They need to be here together for this place to help them come to terms with their emotions for each other."_

"You're smart boy. Yes…they do and they will. Then in a few days time, the first night after they leave this place, and once they have admitted they have feelings for each other beyond that of "partners", they will make love for the first time. Don't worry though. The walls, those two have built around themselves, will be intact and as strong as ever. They will each simply allow a small crack, to form, that's big enough for the other to slip through. "

The man glanced over at the partners and smiled.

"Not to worry boy. They're about to embark on a life long journey. Hang on…cause you're going along for a bit of the ride. After all, who do you think will be giving "doggy rides" and attending "tea parties" in a few years?"

Monty peered over at his Master and Kensi again.

"_They do look like they're becoming more comfortable together." He thought._

The strange man smiled. "They do. Listen boy…I have to go now…but I'll see you again. Next time you visit here. Take care of them boy."

With that Kensi's father stood up, walked behind his daughter and gave her a smile of parental pride before heading down to the beach and simply vanishing.

"_They are going to be alright… "Doggy rides" and "tea parties"…bring it on." Monty thought as he lay down in his basket and listened to the melodic sounds of the surf._

**That is it. It's finished. It may not be the ending everyone wanted, but it is the ending I wanted. When I decided to write a story based on the show NCIS LA I wanted to write something that included all the main characters. I'm not really sure if Monty is suppose to live with Deeks, or if Deeks simply has access to him, but I did want to include him. Having him live with Deeks seemed to be the easiest way to work him in.**

**I do believe in God and Heaven. I do believe that angels walk amongst us and I do believe there are natural healing places on earth. I don't think they are meant to be exploited by man. I believe people stumble upon them, and simply don't realize what they have experienced. I do believe that the spirits of our loved ones, who have passed on, can come back to help us in times of great distress.**

**My maternal great grandmother died when my grandmother was six years old. It happened during childbirth and I am sad to say that both my great grandmother and the child she was carrying perished. I was 31 when my maternal grandmother passed away. She was 105. Till the day she died my grandmother claimed that she saw her mother a week after she watched her be buried. The story she told was that she woke in the middle of the night to see her mother sitting at the edge of her bed. She heard her mother say "good-bye", but being a child of six she became frightened, and closed her eyes and covered her ears with her hands. When she opened her eyes, a few moments later, she found herself alone. It was a move I believe she regretted her entire life. She had the opportunity to tell her mother she loved her one last time, but allowed fear to take control. My family never believed my grandmother. I was always told that it was the ramblings of an old woman and ghosts do not exist. I chose to believe her. There was such passion in her voice, and a deep sadness in her eyes every time she told me the story that I could never understand how anyone could not believe her. Grandma held on to her story for one year short of a century. People do not hold onto a lie for that length of time, they only hold on to truths. By bringing Kensi's father, into the story, in the form I did, I believe I am, in a way, paying tribute to my grandmother. I guess I am somehow still trying to tell her that I believe her.**

**Let me know what you think of my story and tell me if I should give this writing thing another try. I do have an idea for a second story. Send me a review.**

**Thank-you all for reading. Take care.**


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